Alice's Feet
by Apprentice08
Summary: After two years in China Alice returns home only to be victim to an accident She is now paralyzed and depressed In her attempt to return to Underland she takes a wrong turn and ends up in the hands of a certain Knave can he heal or will he only hurt?
1. Chapter 1

**A/n: So I saw the movie and loved it from the start but never got around to posting this. I have no intention of making this a weekly post because I don't have time and I have other stories that need tending. But I do promise that if you like this story I will eventually post chapter 2 after I write it. I have gone back and fourth about whether I want this to be a Ilosovic/Alice or Hatter/Alice and have decided on the first for the soul purpose that I love Crispin Glover. Plus his character is just so….seductive? Dark? Creepy? Awkward? I don't know you pick an adjective. Anyway… please enjoy and read and review and let me know what you think! **

**PS if I misspelled a name, place, location etc PLEASE TELL ME with out flames of course. I prefer to use the more interesting names like Terrant or Mctwisp instead of the white rabbit or Mad hatter but if I spell it wrong it's not because I didn't do my research I probably just forgot how to spell it. Enough jabberwockying around enjoy! **

**Chapter 1**

**The Burden **

Alice looked out at the gloomy day, she sighed and tapped her fingers on the cool windowpane. The room she so often found herself in nowadays was bland and disinteresting. And of course, when it came to Alice if things were bland and disinteresting then her attention span was not going to linger on them for long. She stared out the window and every once and awhile added a sigh.

When she had woke up this morning she had laid in bed for a good hour, because she had woken up before the sky had even been graced with light. Her dreams had been laced with bad things that kept her awake and nauseated. When she had been thrust from her dream world the noises of horses and splintering, shattering wood, and screams from people had festered in her ears and she had clung to the hot heavy air of the room and to consciousness to keep herself from sinking back into the nightmares of her mind.

Once her room had started to regain light from the outside she had pulled the rickety old wheel chair towards her bed and slowly sat up. She had flung her covers aside and, on shaky arms, had raised herself and gotten into her wheelchair. She waited now, in her sleeping gown for her mother or nursemaid to come hustling in and stare at her in shock.

Which, unfortunately, happened as Alice wondered to herself, "God lord child how did you get out of bed on your own!" The nursemaid asked rushing to her, "It's freezing in here, you shouldn't be out of bed when it is this cold out!" Alice had tossed and turned all night with sweat on her brow, "Actually Hilda, it was quit warm in here last night. I would so much like to open a window." Alice said quietly.

"Nonsense child, you will catch your death, I think I shall add more wood to your fire." The woman said pulling clothes out for the girl.

"Is my mother home?" Alice asked hoping the answer was yes.

"No, she went out for a little bit, probably to buy some clothe for your new dresses."

"But I do not need new dresses… I have no place to go." Alice said looking down at her hands.

"Oh pish posh child, there are parties to attend, hands to kiss, families to impress. Just because you are in a wheelchair does not mean some nice young man will lose interest."

"William lost interest." Alice muttered into her lap.

Either Hilda heard and chose to ignore, or she truly had not heard at all because she turned to Alice and walked over carrying her least favorite dress. It was red and black with frills and it made her think of the nasty curtain dress she had worn a long time ago.

But Alice was far too old to have a tantrum, she was almost twenty-one, in fact she would turn twenty-one in less then six days. The fact that she hadn't gotten married yet had not shocked to many people.

After all she was Alice and Alice was a strange girl. She had turned down several wonderful marriages so she could help Lord Ascot with the trade routs to China. For several years she had been working as his Apprentice to makes things for the company profitable and show everyone her father's business was not something to be taken for granted.

That is where she had met William. A savvy young man who knew all kinds of interesting things, he was also from London, and from the start he had fascinated Alice. She had been staying in China in hopes to convince the businessmen to start trade, unfortunately it had been hard for Alice to get them to listen; she was after all in their eyes only a woman.

William had been her perfect idea; he would come with her to the meetings and help support her as she pitched the ideas and the benefits that would come from a joined trade route. And though Alice had done the talking, the fact that there was a man with her to support her efferts seemed to help the men take her more seriously and soon enough they were drawing up papers. She had returned to London to consult Lord Ascot about some things and that's when the accident happened.

Alice recalled the night that William had proposed, and how he had promised they would travel the world, see exotic places, and help build the business that had at one time been her fathers. Pushing the thoughts from her head before she lingered on them to long she noticed that she was almost completely dressed now and how she missed her little blue linen dresses.

The red dress washed her out more so then normal, it made her look chunky and fat and she hated it. She looked at Hilda and said, "I really do hate this dress."

The nursemaid smiled and said, "Love it or hate it, your wearing it today." With that she wheeled Alice out of the room and towards the breakfast that Alice really wasn't that hungry for.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Alice spent the day reading, wondering what she was going to do. Not that she could do much with the two lifeless appendages attached to her waist. Maybe that was the answer, Alice could have her legs removed from her body and then she could build wings and she could just fly every place. What a wonderful idea, she would be the talk of the town, but not do to pity, do to joy and jubilation. People would cheer as she soared by overhead, no dead limbs to slow her down.

"Alice darling, light blue or dark blue?"

Looking up from the book she hadn't been reading she stared at her mother, "Pardon?"

"Light blue or dark blue for your new dress?" Her mother asked.

Alice looked at the fabric that was draped over her mother's arms and cocked her head to the side, "Hmm, perhaps both? In patches… like a quilt."

"Be serious darling, this is for the party at the Manchester's next Friday."

Alice shrugged and said kindly, "The light blue, it makes my hair shine."

"Indeed it does." Her mother said leaving the room with out even looking at Alice.

How she dreaded the parties, she was displayed like a rag doll, people stared and whispered and it all turned into one little pity party and Alice detested pity parties. Especially when they were about her. She set her book down on the near by table and let her fingers on her left hand stray to her upper right arm.

They danced over the scars and she felt something flood her, relief maybe? Perhaps some security in knowing the scar was still there. That maybe she wasn't as crazy as she thought. Memories that often led to daydreams were now her constant companions. They were her friends for the last year of her life that she had wasted in this chair. Her lament and depression at her first being confined to this horrible chair had lifted when she recalled the dreams of her childhood, the laughter of people whose faces she did indeed remember. The insane faces that ironically kept her mentally stable.

Adventures she was sure she had gone on and people she was sure she had met. The scars were from one of those adventures, three perfect lines across her upper arm. She had claimed it had been from roots that had scratched her arm when she had fallen down a hole and hit her head. But she knew deep down that something greater had happened, it was her seceret. She was the champion of Underland. And when ever she felt like she may give up and just become the dress up doll her mother wanted her to be she felt the scars and remembered she was strong and she was much much more then just ordinary Alice.

OOOOOOOOO

Her mother and Nursemaid hoisted her up together out of the chair and into the tub of hot water. "Now clean yourself up good darling one, we will be back in a half hour to dress you and get you ready for the party. Try to actually get your hair clean this time, we don't have time to go back and get out all the extra wash you put into it." Her mother said closing the bathroom door behind her.

Alice stared at the door and sighed, she hated getting baths, because it was a team effort. They had to lift her in and lift her out and dry her off and help her do her hair and get into and out of clothes and it was just awful and Alice hated it and never felt more weak and vulnerable.

The party was tonight and Alice had requested she be allowed to have as much dignity as possible and wheel herself around the party. Her mother had been reluctant, because in her mind it was more dignified to have someone push you. But Alice was Alice and despite how she acted sometimes her mother did love her and did want her to be at least somewhat happy.

So Alice would be allowed to wonder on her own tonight at least for a little bit. Alice laid back for a moment and allowed herself to daydream of a wonderful ball that would be held on the Frabsures day in Underland.

With the White queen looking beautiful and pale as always, the hatter doing his silly dance. Chess appearing and disappearing at will and Alice dancing with fun people who liked to sing and dance and laugh and really truly show their madness.

She sighed, bringing herself back to reality and stared at her body through the water and laughed at how much bigger it looked. She poked the tips of her fingers out and looked at how strange her hands looked half in the water and half out. It was like a mirror that you could see through. Her eyes wondered from her hands down to her feet. The tips of her toes stuck out of the water.

She locked onto her toes with her eyes and stared, she made her mind focus on her toes. She waited and felt for any sign of feeling, for any sign of movement. She spoke to herself.

_Wiggle toe… move… dance… do something! Come now feet, you've never failed me before… you've never ignored me like this…_

She started to speak out loud, "Come on, come on, move… move come on." She was whispering in hopes her mother wouldn't hear.

"Come on, you can do it, just one little wiggle, that is all I need… a waggle or wiggle or higgle or piggle or….piggle?" Alice said to herself.

"ALICE!" Came her mother's cry as she knocked on the door. "Hurry up and stop talking to yourself."

Alice stared at her toe in annoyance, "You, toes, are very rude." And with that she started to bath.

OOOOOOOOOOO

When they had arrived at the party Alice felt confident and strong, she had mentally prepped herself for this party because she wanted to be able to smile and show she was not beaten by this, she was still strange, odd, Alice. She was not going to let this accident ruin her life, she was Alice and she loved herself.

When they entered people did turn and stare but Alice paid no mind. Her mother, her nursemaid and herself found the hosts and thanked them very nicely for their invite and Alice talked to them as if she was still on their level of standing.

They smiled and talked as if nothing was wrong, though Alice was sure that she could see the hint of pity starting to emerge in their eyes. Finally she excused herself and started to wheel around. Still people stared but she did not care, she was being odd Alice and she loved it. In a world of normal she loved being the strange person who people thought of as odd.

It was then to her surprise and annoyance she wheeled passed a group of giggling girls around her age who either were married and pregnant or just married. She smiled at them as she wheeled by and heard them whisper and snicker. So much for being civil to the cripple, Alice thought with annoyance.

She wheeled into the next room and found a group of young men drinking brandy and laughing. Perhaps the husbands of the goggling gooses in the next room. Alice took the time to notice most of them were pretty red in the face from the brandy and from laughing. She wheeled to the side of the room knowing full well she preferred the company of young businessmen then to that of annoying pregnant women.

She noticed a quiet young man sitting on the outskirts of the male party and she decided she would sit next to him. She wheeled her chair over and backed into the empty spot right next to him. He was still wearing his coat and top hat and a cane rested next to his leg. His gloves he twisted nervously in his hands.

"G-good evening M-miss. Alice." The man said with a slight stutter.

She looked at him strangely, "Have we met?"

"I am afraid not, but I heard a girl in a wheel chair was to arrive to night… her name was to be Alice Kingsly? Kingslow…"

"Kingsleigh." Alice corrected.

"Y-yes… so I should assume since it is well passed arrival time… and y-you are the only one in the moving c-chair…maybe you may be A-A-Alice." He said twisting his gloves nervously in his hands.

"Indeed I am A-A-Alice." She said with a small laugh.

The man blushed, "I appear to be at a disadvantage… you know my name sir but I not yours." Alice said kindly showing she meant no ill will towards him.

He smiled and said, "Thomas Torrington… a very humble, and exceedingly s-shy Lord's son."

"Torrington?" she asked making sure she got it right; she had never heard that name before.

"People call me TT for short… you are m-more then w-welcome to call me T-T-T-TT if you like." He said blushing again.

"I would like to call you TT Thomas… so I will…TT." He snickered and then looked at her.

"M-may I be b-b-blunt?"

Alice nodded and looked at him with such seriousness he felt he might pass out, "You are very p-p-pretty." He stammered, he was sweating and twisting his gloves worse then ever and he knew he must look like a fool, when Alice said nothing he knew he must have crossed a line, he shot up, "I am ssssssorry, I am so s-s-silly…I will go!" He said making to leave, "Please don't go!" Alice said quickly reaching her arms for him.

"I like you TT… you are different and strange and I like you…" He smiled at her nervously and dropped his gloves, which he quickly bent to pick up, his top ,which he had not removed yet, fell from his head and rolled to Alice's feet. She reached down and picked up the top hat and looked at it, then to him who was staring in shock.

"You do remind me of someone Thomas… someone strange and odd and funny and… bright…." She brushed off the top hat and held it out for him. His shaky hand took it and his finger brushed hers as he took it back.

"T-thank you Miss. Alice." He said, his calmness finally settling on him. He was much different when he was calm, his voice was different, she liked him calm almost as much as she liked him a nervous wreck.

"Perhaps we could… go for a stroll… it is rather hot in here." She said staring into his eyes.

"Perhaps we could… a supervised walk would be rather enjoyable." He said looking for a nanny.

"No no TT, no supervision, let's go out the back into the gardens… I hear the Manchester's have the largest garden maze on this side of the country." Alice said with a glimmer in her eye.

"But we mustn't be alone with out supervision." He stammered.

"This isn't the 1600's TT, come now it could be an adventure!" Alice said feeling the excitement in her grow. Thomas looked around and then nervously nodded his head. "Alright, but let us make it rather quick."

TT came around Alice and pushed her towards the back of the house, they found a door that led out back and when no one was around they went out. TT wheeled her quickly and it took only a minute or two to negotiate the stairs. Before them there was a large maze opening and Alice felt her heart leap.

"This is going to be most wonderful!" Alice said pointing, "Let's go!"

"I-I-It's rather d-d-dark." Thomas said pulling his high white collar away from his neck.

"TT, don't tell me you are scared of the dark." Alice said looking ahead, her eyes transfixed on the entrance.

"N-n-not at all… it's just… us alone… in a dark maze at night… what if we get l-lost?"

"That's the exciting part! What IF we get lost… we may have to survive on nothing but roots and insects!" Alice said happily, "Or we could be eaten by hungry beasts or we could have to climb our way out via stacking tea cups onto books and tea pots onto cakes and who knows what else!"

TT was silent for a moment and then said, "You s-sure have a large imagination…"

"That is the best kind, the bigger the better! No onward my soldier!" she said pointing. Slowly she started to roll and soon enough they were in the maze.

They strolled quietly next to each other for a long time; Alice pushed her chair through the damp grass and TT walking slowly beside her.

"It is impossibly d-dark." TT said in a worried tone.

"Impossible is a wonderful word, I try to think of six impossible things before breakfast. It is a wonderful exercise my father taught me." Alice said looking ahead into the gloom.

TT glanced at her and gave a shy smile, "Six impossible t-things…like a kind hearted politician?"

Alice giggled and smiled and said, "No, more like impossible things to do. A good example is there is a world where flowers sing."

TT said nothing for a moment and then spoke quickly, "Perhaps t-there is a place where animals t-talk?"

"Wonderful idea, or that there is a cake that can make you grow to enormous sizes."

"Oh m-maybe I could sprout wings and fly away." TT said with a shy laugh.

"I was just thinking of that today. Cutting of my legs and bulding wings so I could fly. Then no one would pity me, no one would ever look down on me, they would look up and stare in wonder at how absolutely… WONDERFUL I am!" Alice said with excitement.

"But you are w-wonderful just the way you are." Alice stopped rolling herself along and looked up at him with a small smile. She didn't know what to say to that, though she felt like he meant it she didn't feel wonderful the way she was. She felt helpless, TT was starting to get twitting since she hadn't said anything in response so she replied with, "How many are we up to?"

TT thought a moment and then said, "Four, we have thought of four impossible things."

Alice thought a moment and then said with a sly smile, "I have defeated the giant flying Jabberwocky."

"G-good heavens… what is t-that?"

"Oh nothing special, just a large dragon like beast who breaths fire only fears the vorpal sword."

"The v-vorpal what? Breathing f-fire surely there is no such beast, that is…."

"Impossible." Alice said with a smile.

TT smiled back down at her and finally said, "There is a place where no one ever gets hurt."

Alice's smile slowly began to fade as an idea came to her mind, but just as she was about to speak someone called her name, "ALICE! ALICE WHERE ARE YOU!"

"Oh dear." Alice said with a sigh, "That would be my mother."

"Oh g-gracious… what a horrible thing I have d-done. I must get you b-back." TT grabbed her wheel chair and turned her around and headed her back the way they had come. As they rounded a corner Alice saw something move out of the corner of her eye. A white blur that made her almost fall out of her chair.

"W-what is it?" TT said in shock.

"I thought I saw something."

"Perhaps it's just a rabbit." He said pushing her down the long path to the exit.

"A rabbit?" Alice said craning her neck to look over her shoulder.

She saw nothing behind her and when they emerged to find Alice's mother and sister waiting with worried faces she wished harder then she ever had before that it was a white rabbit and that somewhere in that maze was a rabbit hole.

00000000000

It had been two days since the party and Alice's mother was more then still livid about Alice wondering off with TT. Though she would never admit it, Alice could tell her mother was pleased to some extent that Alice had caught the eye of yet another Lord's son.

"Maybe we could have you and TT meet on a more proper note. Maybe lunch and then a stroll in the park?" Her mother asked with hope in her voice.

"That would be nice." Alice said with more honesty then she normally would have allowed.

She knew her mother wanted Alice to still marry despite her condition and Alice knew that if she were to ever marry then someone like TT would be a wonderful person to be married to. He had imagination, he was kind, he didn't laugh at her when she spoke and he played into her games.

At the same time she didn't want to be married, she didn't want to deal with being a shifted burden. First for her mother and then for TT, it was all too much for her. Alice sighed and looked out the window only to sit up straight and stare in shock.

"Absolum?" She asked as a dark blue butterfly flittered across the window.

"What my dear?" Her mother asked.

"Nothing… not a thing." Alice said sitting back into her chair and staring out the window. She must have imagined it.

"Let's get ready for your singing lesson then." Her mother said standing from the table and moving from the room.

"I can't properly sing while I sit down." Alice mumbled to herself, her mother ignored her and continued out shutting the door behind her.

OOOOOOOOO

The storm outside was dreadful, and Alice couldn't sleep a wink. She pushed herself up and pulled the chair over to her. It was hot in her room and she needed to remove herself from the thick wool covers her mother and maid had put over her.

She got into the wheel chair just fine and shifted her nightgown down to cover her legs. As she sat up a bolt of lighting struck and a shadow cast itself across her room. She shot up and looked at her window but there was nothing there. The shadow had appeared to be a butterfly but there was nothing on her window.

Alice quickly rolled over to the window and looked out but the dark rainy night smeared rain across the glass. Alice sat in the darkness of her room with only a little light from the remaining fire and thought.

If only she could get back to Underland, if only she could see her friends again. If only she wasn't paralyzed. Even if she managed to get to Underland how would she get in? She couldn't move, she could barely crawl, if she got through the door how would she to get to Marmoreal?

"I'd rather be there then here. At least there they won't pity me." Alice in that split second decided what she was going to do. She would pack her bag tonight, and leave for Underland. She would travel as far as she had to go to find a rabbit hole.

It took her moments to get ready, the storm outside had only grown worse and Alice knew this was the worst possible time to go but she had a feeling in the back of her mind that if she didn't go tonight she would never go at all. This was the only time she was ever going to have the nerve, and she refused to waste it because of a storm.

She rolled to her door and opened it slowly listening for anyone who might be up and around. She heard nothing aside from the sounds of the storm and opened her door the rest of the way. She rolled out into the hall and took a deep breath; she had to get past her mother's room, her nursemaid's room, and her sister's room.

What a joy that had been to have Margaret visit for the week, always talking about Lowell and how wonderful he was, about how she was hoping to become just as pregnant as the other women she knew. Alice loved her sister but she was just as blind as Alice's mother. They could see nothing but marriage possibilities and family planning.

Not Alice, she was not the one to be tied down or made to stay. She managed to get passed all of the rooms with out a sound and was overjoyed when she turned the corner and saw the front door with no cat in or around it.

She rolled to it and put her hand on the knob, "This is it Alice… let's go home." She opened the door and rolled through managing to shut it behind her. She was stopped momentarily by the four large steps before her, it was bad enough she was already soaked but having four large steps to try and get down with a wheel chair?

She didn't come this far to be stopped now; Alice took a big breath and pushed herself forward. She wasn't sure if she would be able to balance the chair but by some miracle she managed just fine. She didn't fall or tip, though the landing was a little rougher then she had hoped.

Alice looked back at the large house's face and for a moment, a single moment thought of going back. But she forced herself to face forward and onward she went pushing herself through the cold torrents of rain that pelted her from head to toe.

A/N: So that is chapter one, chapter two is her actually getting to Underland, I wanted that to be in this chapter but it was getting to be to long. So here you go.


	2. The Carriage

**A/N: So I have decided to continue and I hope I can do justice. I've noticed in a lot of other stories that AIW fans are very particular. If you don't get the back story right (which could include the back-story of the books, as well as the movie things can get ugly.) I have not read any of the original books but may look into trying to get a hold of them to read them and get more information. Any way chapter 2 Enjoy! **

**P.S. I know Alice has used both the rabbit hole and the looking glass to get back to Underland right? Well I couldn't on Earth figure out how to get her to a near by rabbit hole so I will have Alice attempt a daring journey. **

**Chapter 2**

**The Carriage **

Alice wheeled herself at least half a mile and found the weather only getting worse. Where was the white rabbit when you needed him? She had no clue where one Earth a rabbit hole would be. The only one she could think of was in the Ascot's woods behind the mansion. But could she find it in the dark? Could she make it the twenty miles to the Ascot's summer home with out passing out from exhaustion?

Looking around Alice saw a carriage with two horses…maybe she could borrow the horses and their fine carriage. She wheeled herself across the street grateful that no one was out on this stormy dreary night. The lanterns that hung on the outside were lit and protected from the wind. She sat in her chair next to the carriage and thought through how she would pull herself up.

Alice leaned over to grab the bars that helped people to step up and pulled her self to them, she felt the chair slide out from under her and she gasped in shock. She kept a tight hold on the bars and with much effort managed to pull her dead legs and body up onto the narrow floor of the carriage.

All she had to do was get her self up on the driver's seat and grab the reigns. She pushed herself up and managed to flip her lower body over. Then she placed her hands on the driver's seat and hoisted herself up. She tried to turn but was unable to get her lower body up high enough to place it on the seat. Alice let her self back down and sat there in the cold rain.

She couldn't go back, that would just destroy any pride she had left. But if she couldn't drive the carriage she would lay here in the rain and get sick and possibly be dead by morning. Alice felt new determination arise in her and she pulled her legs so they hung over the front edge of the carriage. Then she put her arms on the seat above her. Her hands face forward and her elbows were bent at a highly uncomfortable angle but she would not allow herself to give up.

With the remaining strength she had she pushed with all her might and gave a cry of joy when she lifted her body successfully and placed her lifeless butt on the driver's seat.

Her father's voice echoed in her head, "_You can do anything you put your mad mind to Alice. Just imagine six impossible things and try your hardest to obtain them." _

"Six impossible things Alice…keep thinking them over and over." Alice said as she leaned forward and grabbed the reigns.

For a moment she felt guilty taking the horses but if someone was cruel enough to leave their animals out in this weather then she shouldn't feel to bad. At least where she was taking them had trees to block the rain and wind.

She cracked the reigns and the horses started to pull the carriage at a nice pace.

"Twenty miles before the sun rises. You can do it Alice, six impossible things."

Page break

Mirana, also known as the White Queen sat in her throne room and talked kindly to her court.

"I have sent the white rabbit to guide her back, and her guardian Absolum has been living in her world for years now watching her. He too will lead our champion back to us."

The court nodded with happiness but it was short lived for at that moment the white rabbit came bursting through the doors soaking wet.

"Your highness! Your highness!" he ran to her quick adding a few hops here and there in an attempt to cover more ground.

"My dear Mctwisp what is the matter… where is our champion?"

"I've been trying to get her attention my queen… our champion is in great trouble. I was planning on guiding her back tonight but there is a terrible storm… she was lost in it. Something odd has happened… she can't move her legs. Our champion has been made lame."

Soft gasps went through out the small group and Mirana stood calmly, "Will you all please give me a moment?" They all nodded and quickly disappeared from the room.

"How could this have happened?" The queen asked moving from her throne to the floor in front of the rabbit who nervously shifted his eyes.

"I do not know my queen, last I saw she managed to climb onto a horse pulled cart and headed off into the storm. I tried to keep up but the horses were to fast. I am so sorry." He said burring his soft face in his white paws.

"Be at peace my friend, surely she is trying to find an entrance into Underland. She is ready to come back on her own and there for we much let her. I want a guard at every entrance into Underland, if she is truly lame she will need help reaching me. I will wait in the castle's kitchen working on potions. I may be able to heal her."

"Do you think your highness her legs have just forgotten?" Mctwisp asked.

"There is a chance they have yes… but depending on how long she has not used them she still may need my help. Hurry now Mctwisp alert the guards…and tell the Hatter as well."

The white rabbit nodded and quickly hopped out of the throne room, the worry in Mirana's eyes was evident. Alice was in trouble and for once the inhabitants of Underland may be able to pay back the kindness they owed her.

Page Break

Alice was the only one on the road and was happy to see the rain had subsided to less then a drizzle. She was almost to the Ascot's when she noticed the large stream next to the road. She recognized it from her last trip here. It was so long ago she had been afraid she would lose her way, especially in the dark but she had recognized things instantly and knew that in the next mile the large stream would turn away from the road and when that happened she needed to make a left and that would lead her straight to the Ascot's manor.

Moments later the rain picked back up and the horses seemed to slow in an attempt to see better. She didn't want to press them if they were unsure.

Suddenly up ahead in the road a large bold of lighting streaked across the sky and struck a large tree branch. The branch fell onto the path that Alice and her horses were traveling on, the horses instinctively attempted to jump the large branch but in doing so the wheels caught the branch and Alice was launched from the carriage and into the stream.

"NO!" Alice screamed knowing she was not near strong enough to swiM since her legs were of no help. The water was cold and rushing horribly fast with all the new water that had been added from the rain and Alice had trouble staying above. She was pulled under and swept down the stream, she noticed the bend coming and hopped that she could try to grab onto something. As she rounded the bend she reached for a rock that was stuck into the bank but had no luck on holding on, the current was to strong.

"HELP!" Alice tried to scream over the sound of rushing water and the storm around her but none could hear.

Out of no where something wrapped around her leg and Alice was pulled under, she thrashed against what ever held onto her leg but since her legs were dead the only part that resisted was her arms and torso.

She was pulled deeper and deeper into the dark waters and felt the temperature dropping. She moved her arms reaching for the surface and the air she so desperately needed but found it was no use. What ever was pulling her through the water was too strong.

Alice felt her world going black from lack of oxygen but tried once more to swim for the top, she thrashed her arms and torso and was not greeted with air but with her head hitting something hard and she finally blacked out.

Page Break

Travis Tadpole yanked the girl through the water as fast as he could, what in Underland was the girl doing. Swimming in this fast of water. She had no webbed feet or hands and her legs seemed useless. He pulled her down to the bottom as she thrashed around. He was looking for the hole, he finally reached the bottom of the large stream and found the entrance he so desired. The girl thrashed once more before her head hit a large rock and she fell silent.

"No!" Travis said yanking on the girl harder, he pulled her and pulled her as hard as he could and soon enough he reached the center of the hole and they were suddenly shot through the rest of the hole. Travis jumped onto the girls motionless head in an attempt to protect it from the many rocks that had passed through the muddy dirt and poked out.

Moments later they were ejected from the hole and sent into the small pool of clear fresh water that Travis called home. He flipped her face up and quickly as possible pulled her to the embankment.

He didn't know what to do, the girl wasn't breathing.

"LUNGS! SHE HAS LUNGS!" He said to himself, he jumped onto her belly and instantly water shot from the girl's throat and mouth. She coughed and hacked for a good minute before she moaned and rolled over in the dirt of the shore. She lay there unconscious and pale.

"What to do! I need help! Human! I need a human!" he said out loud to himself. He jumped back into the water and swam across the pond and quicker then a flash was hopping off through the surrounding mushrooms that towered like trees.

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Ilosovic Stayne crouched behind a rock and waited patiently, he was a very patient man when he needed to be. He heard the hooves of his pray slowly walking by. Stayne crawled silently to the top of the rock making sure the chain that was attached to his wrist cuff was kept from dragging on the rock. The beast's head was down and it was munching on some leaves and mushrooms.

"Hello dinner." He whispered as he jumped from the rock, he flung the chain out and it wrapped around the animals neck. The beast took off but Stayne yanked the chain hard and the animal fell back onto the ground. It tried to get up but Stayne quickly jumped onto it and shoved the make shift dagger he had made through it's neck to the other side.

The beast quickly stopped moving and Stayne smiled with a perverse pleasure sparkling in his eye.

Ever since he escaped his bondage to the Red Queen he had been doing much better. He was able to hunt, able to work, and able to survive. He wouldn't be surprised if the woman from his nightmares were dead some place. The isolation wasn't as bad as he thought it would be as long as he didn't have to deal with Irasebeth.

The woman was clueless; he had served her to further his own statues not because he truly loved her. Now that they were in exile she had lost what little (if any) sanity she had left and did nothing but scream and holler and order about rocks. She thought they were really her servants; a pile of rocks, Stayne scoffed and unwrapped the chain from around the animal's neck.

"It's odd how something meant to stop me has made me stronger." Stayne said to the dead beast before him. She wrapped the chain around his toros like he always did when he wasn't using it and the sheathed his make shift dagger.

It took him a moment to ready himself for the strain of his hike back to his new home. It was an abandoned three story crocked shack that he had been fixing up ever since he found it. It was honest work and he liked it, then again he missed wielding his sword and riding his horse. He missed leading an army on outings to try and achieve a goal.

Out here he had no goal, he was alone and his own madness, which he had kept at bay for years, was starting to creep in on him. His own military outfit had long since become a burden and he had chosen to travel in a lighter outfit. His black tunic and black breeches, with boots and with his cape worked fine. What was his need for his armor? Who was he fighting? Most out here he ever faced was a few wild beasts that thought he looked yummy.

Stayne thought of the events that led to his exile and he wanted nothing more then to scream, so often his thoughts became dark and depressed. He hoisted the beast over his shoulders and started the long walk back.

He had to be careful he wasn't spotted, he was exiled to the Outter lands of Underland but the only place he could find food was in this forest which was only a few miles on the inside of his border.

If he was caught here who knew what would happen to him, he didn't know the White Queen very well at all aside from the stories that Irasebeth forced him to listen to.

She vowed not to kill a living soul so at least he had that going for him, but Stayne didn't know if she was above torture or the use of prisons or work farms. He couldn't imagine what the White Queen would do to him if anything at all and he didn't want to find out.

The blood from the beast's fatal wound was leaving a trail, Stayne would have to come back and get rid of it. Any evidence that someone from the outer lands was here was bad.

Stayne walked back to his shack in less then a few hours and set the beast into the wooden box next to the shack. It was large and he stored his meat there before he skinned it and cooked it. It kept the smell out of his house but also kept the insects and other beasts away.

Stayne leaned against the house and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He glanced out over the empty dead plains of the outerlands and sighed. Nothing beautiful ever came out here, the land was barren and cruel and ugly. Just like Stayne, maybe he belonged out here. Maybe this was meant to be his life for the rest of eternity.

Suddenly Stayne realized he was very thirsty and sighed in defeat. He had to go back and clean up the blood trail he might as well grab his water holders and get some water from the pond.

He went inside and grabbed some large gourds he had found and cleaned out. He carried his water in them and they usually lasted him about four days. Each gourd held about two gallons. One gallon a day for cooking, drinking, and cleaning himself was enough.

He tied a thin makeshift rope around each end of the gourds and slung them over his shoulders. He started his journey in hopes to get back before dusk. Night in the outer rim was not safe, even for a man as strong and powerful as him.

Page break

Travis Tadpole hopped like a mad frog until he saw off in the distance not only someone who could help him but someone who he knew was good. A white knight for the White Queen stood in front of one of the many doors that led into Underland.

Travis hopped up the stairs and stammered, "Need need help! I need help!"

"Easy frog, what is the problem?" The knight with the horse helmet asked.

"A girl! I found a girl! She almost drowned I pulled her from the upper world because she couldn't swim. She needs help! SICK VERY SICK!" Travis all but shrieked.

The knight stared at him a moment and then asked, "Does this girl happen to have long blond curly hair and pale skin? Possibly in a blue dress?"

The frog stared a moment and then nodded, "Yes she does."

The knight jumped from his spot and yelled, "Take me to her!" The frog jumped after him and quickly took the lead at the knight followed with his weapon at the ready.

Page Break

Stayne was almost to the pond, his was sweating worse then ever, and summer was not a kind season at the moment. The heat of the forest weighed down on him and he couldn't bring himself to rest. He needed water and then he needed to get back before dark claimed the land.

He finally reached the pond and did a shallow dove in from a rock that stretched out over it. The cool water was amazing and he savored the feeling on his skin. He wouldn't have much time to waste. He quickly stood and the water came up to his chest, he smirked, his height was always a blessing.

He uncorked the gourds and started to fill them, when something caught his eyes. The water had light ripples across it, he followed them towards the shore and saw to his astonishment someone laying there. He kept his eye on them as he finished filling his gourd. Then he slowly waded in their direction and kept his dark eye trained on the motionless body.

It appeared to be a young girl, maybe nineteen or twenty with filthy clothes, no shoes, and blonde…hair. Stayne stepped forward with more haste and soon was standing on the shore staring down at the girl. He used his booted foot and not so nicely moved her onto her back. A soft moan escaped the girl's pale mouth and then a cough. Stayne crouched down next to her and gently, so as not to wake her, moved the tangled matted hair out of the girl's face.

"Hello Alice." He said with a sneer.

"This way quickly now!" Stayne heard a voice call from a distance. His eye scanned the forest to try and locate the sound of the voice. It was getting closer, "Oh help her help her! Through the trees up there!" The voice called.

_TAKE HER! _A voice in his head said.

Before Stayne knew what he was doing he secured his gourds and then hoisted the heavy wet body of the girl up. She was deathly cold despite the heat of the forest and he wondered how long she had been lying there half in the water and unconscious.

Stayne moved quickly managed to get around the pond and escape towards the shack just as the voice burst through the forest.

"I left her here! WHAT! GONE? HOW HOW HOW!" Came the cry from the disgruntled person who had apparently first found the girl. Stayne moved faster then he thought possible his long legs carrying him a far distance in only a matter of minutes. His body shined in the setting sun's light from the amount of sweat that was pouring from him. The weight of the girl's motionless body and the extra four gallons was enough to make any man work. Stayne stopped only a moment to change his hold, he threw her over his shoulder and took off at a sprint, it was much easier to run with her balanced over his shoulder.

It took him less then forty-five minutes to get her back; it would have normally taken him close to an hour and a half if he walked. He kicked open the front door of the shack and disappeared inside. He kicked the door shut behind him and managed to lock it. He sat Alice down on a old rocking chair and then removed the gourds from his sore shoulders. He set them aside and then turned back to the girl who was leaving a puddle on his floor.

"Always a hassle aren't you?" He hissed to himself more then to her.

He had to get her out of the wet clothes and into something dry. Stayne crossed to his dresser and pulled out one of his old black tunics. He pulled his dagger from his belt and sliced up the front of her dress. For a moment he stared at her fully exposed body but wasted little time admiring. He would not underestimate this girl again.

He pulled her naked body out of the chair and crossed to the bed. He set her down and managed to get the large tunic over her head and get her arms into place, it was amazing how much she swam in his large shirt. He recalled how full she had looked in that silver armor and realized it must have added size as well as protection because she seemed smaller then ever.

Once she was dressed he laid her down and covered her with his furs and blankets. Then as quick as lightning he pulled a chair over to the side of the bed and sat there staring at her pale and pasty face.

Ilosovic Stayne had Alice the champion in his home, under his control. He held the White Queen's pride and joy hostage. He was all hers and it all had happened so fast. His once complacent mind swam now with ideas of how to make this work for him, or how to get what he wanted out of this.

He wanted to be a palace guard again, adviser to the queen, preferably NOT for the Red Queen but the white. He loved being large and in charge and found that out here that the only thing he could do to make himself feel powerful was kill his meals.

If he could be friend Alice, help her recuperate the White Queen and Alice would both owe him a kindness and perhaps with that he could gain his exit out of exile and into the White Queen's forces.

Ilosovic hadn't felt this confident and cocky in years, how long HAD he been out here anyway? He didn't know anymore. He leaned back and took in a deep breath calming his sporadic mind. All of his answers to his future lay before him in this bed, if he could just get her to trust him.

Alice started to have a coughing fit and Stayne wasn't sure how to help, he got up and grabbed a gourd, he popped the cork and held the small opening to her mouth, "Drink child." He said softly in hopes of disguising his voice.

The girl kept her eyes shut but opened her mouth, "What a good girl you are." Stayne said hoping he didn't sound like himself.

Alice seemed to pass back out after she took the sips of water and lay still for a long time. He had to nurse her back to life; he had to save her if he wanted to save himself.

Stayne took a swig of the water and smiled letting out a little laugh, things were going to finally go his way.

**A/N: So there you go, chapter 2 I hope you enjoyed it and I didn't slaughter the characters to much. R*R **


	3. Giving Up

**A/n: Okay chapter three, I don't know why but this story is just popping out of me and I can't stop writing which is bad because I need to get my other stories updated. **

**Chapter 3 **

**Giving up **

Alice's eyes ached and burned, she didn't want to open them but she knew for her own sake and self-preservation she had to figure out where she was.

She coughed a little and then managed to open her eyes. The room was dimly lit by one candle in the far corner. It was a large candle, which sat on the floor inside a fireplace, probably thicker then her head, and it must have had a thick wick because the room was dim but most of it was still visible.

She tried to sit up but every muscle in her body protested and she feared her paralysis might have spread. She slowly lifted her arm and stared at her hands, her fingers wiggled. She moved her head back and fourth and then lifted her shoulder up and down. Alice took a deep breath and forced herself to sit up. Every muscle in her body ached and she pulled the many furs and blankets away from her body.

She was shocked to see her dress had been replaced with a black tunic that was huge on her. Who had saved her? Who had pulled her from the water? She looked around and saw a chair next to the bed and a large gourd looking thing on the floor. "Hello?" Alice called. No one responded so she looked down at her legs.

She felt a dizzy spell take her over and suddenly it was like she was hit by a massive fever. She felt sick, groggy, hot and cold at the same time. She felt like she was pouring sweat off her body but couldn't feel the liquid on her skin.

She layback down a moment and consider her options. Obviously being out in the cold rain for so long and then falling into a large raging stream was not the best way to stay healthy. But what choice did she have? She wanted freedom.

She came to Underland in an attempt to get away from the pity, to show she still had her muchness. She had no clue where she was, or if she was even in Underland. She had to figure it out; she couldn't just wait in bed.

Once again she looked around and then stared back at her legs, "Come on legs… move… come on feet dance for me!" Alice said staring with daggers at her feet. Her voice was dry and scratchy, like she hadn't talked in months. Alice grabbed hers legs one and a time and swung them over the edge of the bed. She pushed herself up and her legs crumpled under her.

"No." Alice said as she lay on the floor, she suddenly was visited by a coughing fit and felt all her muscles tighten and the pain was awful.

"No… no no no no no!" Alice screamed pounding her fists on the floor as the coughing only got worse from the dust she inhaled off the floor.

"It's not fair! I want to walk! Why can't I walk!" Alice sobbed and tears poured from her face.

"I just want to walk!" She wailed and sobbed for a long time. Eventually she managed to calm herself, her heaving breathing started to lessen and she stared at the dusty and dirty floor she lay on.

Maybe she couldn't walk but she had to get up, she had to get to Underland and find the White Queen and she had to try and fix this.

Alice started to crawl but heard a noise come from outside, the front door was yanked open and Alice rolled herself under the bed. She grabbed her legs and pulled them under with her as two large booted feet strolled into the main room.

She lay still as a stone trying to keep her breathing even and trying to keep her self from coughing. Her body ached and begged for her to go back to the bed but with she dare not move less the stranger find her.

They walked passed the bed and towards the candle and stopped by the table on the far side of the room. She heard the stranger set something down on the table and she heard the clank of something metallic. Maybe a knfe? She watched the feet as they slowly turned and pointed at the bed. They suddenly rushed to the bed and were only inches from her as she lay there trying to keep quiet.

The boots backed away from the bed and stood there for a moment, then a knee appeared and a large hand shot under the bed and grabbed her arm pulling her out from her hiding place.

Alice gasped in shock when a very familiar face greeted her, "Hello Um, Welcome back to Underland. I've missed you my beautiful flower."

Page Break

Stayne had for a moment thought Alice had escaped but once he saw the body marks in the dirt and dust on the ground he knew she had hid under the bed. He quickly kneeled down and reached under for her and pulled her out, her gasp filled his ear and he couldn't help but smirk, "Hello Um, welcome back to Underland. I've missed you my beautiful flower." He said in a very sarcastic tone.

Alice gasped and in that instant passed back out. The Knave furrowed his brow and pulled her the rest of the way out from under the bed. He reached down to feel her forehead and frowned, she had a fever. Her eyes had dark circles under them and she was clammy, her hair didn't have its normal golden hue to it and she looked like she may get sick at any moment. Stayne sighed and threw the blankets back over her, he walked across the room and grabbed a bucket, which he placed next to the bed.

He stared at her a moment longer and then realized he would have to go out again. If she came to while he was gone she might try to run and in her condition she would die long before she made it to Marmoreal. Stayne allowed a wicked smile to spread across his face and he reached into his satchel by the door.

He pulled out some rope and began to tie her hands together and then he bound her feet. "You won't run from me my little flower." He said looking at her pale sick face.

He then tied her bound wrists to the wooden head bored above the bed and stared at his handy work, "If only if only." He said imagining her being tied down while he sliced that tunic away with a knife.

"Such a pretty little flower…" his thumb and forefinger gently gripped her chin and turned her head from side to side. He sat down next to her and leaned in close smelling her hair. Even after everything she had been through, even though she was sickly and weak, her hair still smelled like wild flowers and sunshine.

"A hint of the ocean lingers in your skin… how I'd love to lick away the salt." He said as his eye rolled back in his head, he allowed his lips to brush her collarbone before his eye shot open and he pulled away.

His madness was getting the best of him, the man he was when he was with the red queen loved women, loved how they smelled and moved. But his madness always caused them pain. If he ever planned on using this girl to get in good graces with the queen he needed to restrain his madness and focus on his goal.

Stayne smiled, yes he had a goal again, a lovely goal. He would be adviser to the White Queen and he would be able to live like he use to.

Ilosovic looked at the girl one more time before he stood and turned to the table with all the vegetables and other plants he had collected. The soup he was about to make for her was something his own mother made when Stayne was a boy.

It always helped with sickness, he had had to strain to remember the recipe but eventually he recalled all the necessary things required. The only thing he needed was the sap from the Gubgub tree. Not to far away but he would have to travel out. He glanced yet again at the bed and sighed, he hoped the knots would hold her.

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"What news have you knight?" The White Queen asked the chess piece, "Travis Tadpole claimed to have rescued a girl fitting Alice's description. Unfortunately when I followed him the place he had left her was empty. If he had indeed rescued our Alice she has been taken by someone of who I know not."

The queen sighed but still nodded with a small smile, "Very well, return to your post but order there be a sweep of the forest. Find as many volunteers to help as possible. Inform the tweedels, the dodo, the Mad March Hare and the Dormouse that we need their help in finding her. We must locate her before she is hurt."

The knight bowed and turned leaving the room and leaving Mirana to talk only to herself, "If we are lucky her captor is someone with whom we can trust."

PAGE BREAK

Alice once again opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling, was it all a dream? Has the Knave of Hearts really been the one to save her? Did that mean she was in Underland this whole time and her legs truly did not work?

"Lay still and rest, you are very sick." She heard someone say. She looked up to see the Knave staring at her from a chair that rested next to the fire place.

"Am I in Underland?" Alice asked.

Ilosovic looked at her with a puzzled expression and then said, "Of course, how else would you have come into my company?"

Alice lay silent as the grave and stared down at where her legs would have been under the furs and blankets. He eyed her for a moment, as something seemed to sink into her mind. He noticed she started to breath heavy and she lay down and stared at the ceiling.

Suddenly she seemed to realize she was tied down and started to pull at her bonds.

"Don't bother Champion… you won't get free. Though I hate to tie you down like that I can't allow you to try and run away. Not in your sickly condition."

Alice stared at him and then sighed, "You don't have to die my legs up… you have tied my legs right?" she asked looking down at her covered legs.

"Yes, indeed I have. I hope you don't think bad of me but I was sure you would try to escape and I couldn't worry about you hurting yourself in an attempted get away."

"You have no worries from me you traitor. I couldn't run if I tried." Alice said pulling again at the ropes that bound her wrists.

"What is wrong champion… to scared to try and run from me?" he asked in a cruel tone.

"Leave me alone." Alice said, she tried to turn onto her side but for some reason couldn't make the adjustment and fell back onto her back and Ilosovic was sure he heard a small sob from her.

He turned away allowing her to wallow in her own self-pity. What ever her problem he didn't care, he just needed her to get better so he could return her to the White Queen and be forgiven for his past aggressions.

"I have managed to find some plants and meat, I will have a soup made in only a few minutes. Rest until then and don't bother trying to escape." He added at the end, "You are to weak and sickly to make it far."

"I wouldn't make it at all." Alice murmured, Stayne ignored that comment and went back to making the soup.

Page Break

Alice did end up falling back asleep after having seriously considered her options. She finally realized that if her legs were dead in this world then they would remain dead for the rest of her days.

She thought maybe in Underland the damage would be undone but no, she was still helpless and weak. She always would be for the rest of her life, and who would ever care for her now? She didn't want to be a burden on her family in London, and showing up here just expecting someone to tend to her was rude and selfish.

Everyone here was mad, no one would understand her pain or her problems. She had created a mess for herself that she could not undo. She was now stuck in Underland forever, alone and unwanted because her legs were dead and her soul and spirit were slowly dying with them.

She dreamed of nothing for a long time until suddenly she was back on the streets of England with William. She noticed how blue the sky was instead of its usual gray. It reminded her of Absolum and she wished he were here with her. William was talking on and on about the trading they had done, the route they had set up, how wonderful it was all going to be.

That is when Alice stepped off the curb, when she went to follow him across the street and stopped because she thought she saw a white blur duck down a back alley. She ran after it only to find a little girl in a white petty coat chasing a cat that had strayed to close to the road. Alice at that moment sighed and turned just in time hear a man yell and a horse neigh and a large carriage come barreling down the street at her.

The sound of splintering wood filled the air, the horses being dragged along via the harness that held them in place and the sound and image of the driver being pulled under. Alice knew she was next, she heard William call her name but didn't see him as she turned to run. She moved slowly as if through molasses and tried to scream but nothing came out. As the carriage grew closer she felt something trip her and the next this she knew she felt the carriage land on her back and legs.

"NO!" Alice screamed sitting up in bed and looking around frantically. The noises of the accident died down around her and as she looked around the Knave of hearts staring at her with a questioning eye greeted her.

"Bad dream champion?" Ilosovic asked.

"Stop calling me that!" Alice yelled at him in frustration.

Stayne turned to her and felt his own anger rise, "Don't take a tone with me girl…I am in no mood for your silly little fits."

"I am no champion so don't call me that!" Alice said pushing her face into a large wad of fur near her head.

"Oh yes, aren't we well hidden." Ilosovic said rolling his eye and turning back to the soup. It was done and he was so hungry he was tempted to eat it now. He left the soup to boil over the small fire in the fireplace and walked over to Alice.

He leaned in close to the fur and whispered into her ear, "You can't hide from the boogey man under those blankets. Especially when they belong to him." He heard her whimper and for a moment felt something in him stir.

He had always been the predator, always chased and tried to get what he wanted because that was his personality. That is what he loved, the chase. Hearing her whimper made him want to pull the blankets off and see her face.

"Alice, the champion of the Underworld… you seem a little less muchy. Did something happen while you were away?"

"Damn you Knave!" Alice yelled.

Stayne yanked the blankets from her and grabbed her wrist pulling her up, "No champion damn you." Alice slapped him hard across the face and he dropped her in surprise. She tumbled from the bed and lay on the floor feeling the pain shoot through her body as her arms were yanked above her head by the ropes. Her back was bent as a horrible angle and she felt her muscles stretching to compensate for the tight position they were suddenly thrown into.

She glanced at the Knave and saw his anger; she was scared, because she couldn't fight back. All she could do was try to get away and hope he would have enough mercy to let her go. His heaving breaths came and went until he bent down before her and grabbed her face with his hand.

"I am trying to help you brat. I didn't have to save you, or nurse you or change your clothes…" he said with an evil smirk. "But I did… I even slept upstairs last night so you wouldn't have to wake up next to me… even though I am sure it would have been a thrill for you."

He shoved her face away and she looked up at him with defiant eyes. "Don't make me regret my actions girl I can be merciful but I can also be very very cruel. Don't push me to far or I will push you back." He leaned down and grabbed her hips tossing her angrily on the bed. She gave a little cry as the knots twisted tighter around her wrists.

Ilosovic crossed to the soup and grabbed two bowls; he filled them with soup and then grabbed two spoons. He crossed back to the bed and set his bowl and spoon on the table next to the bed.

"Can you untie my arms? They need a rest… I won't be going far anyway." Alice said giving him as unemotional a stare as she could.

"Very well but try nothing or I will tie you in a position that is far less comfortable." Stayne grabbed his knife and sliced through the rope. She pulled her hands free and rubbed her wrists. He handed her the bowl of soup and said in a very calm voice, "Try not to waist it love… food is hard to come by out here and I plan to make this soup last me a few weeks."

Alice smelled the soup and her mouth watered, when was the last time she had eaten? She took the spoon and started to eat, she gulped down spoon full after spoon full before she glanced at the knave and noticed he was simply watching her.

She set her soup down and looked at him with annoyance, "What is it?"

"Nothing…just enjoying the view. Glad you like the soup, it was my mother's recipe."

Alice thought it strange that Stayne would have a mother, or any former life before serving the Red Queen and her nasty court.

"What was your mother's name?" Alice asked trying to make the awkward situation less so then it was.

"Her name was Arcarna." The Knave said with little emotion.

Alice thought a moment and decided she liked that name, "It is a beautiful name."

"She was a rather beautiful woman, and a wonderful mother."

"Where is she now?" Alice asked.

"She is long dead but not forgotten."

Alice sighed, "My father is dead. He passed when I was eight."

"I was twelve." The knave said standing and heading back over to the soup bowl.

"More?" the Knave asked eyeing her closely.

"No thank you… it was very good." She said sitting her bowl on the table next to the bed.

"I hope you feel a little better. The sickness you had was rather nasty, it would be a shame if you didn't recover."

"I am feeling much better." Alice said looking him up and down carefully.

"Good. As you should, my mother's soup has never failed to cure a cold, sickness, or flu."

The Knave crossed to the bed and shoved Alice over, "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Going to bed. It is late." The Knave said removing his shirt and boots.

"But I thought you said you sleep upstairs?" Alice said suddenly feeling her nerves send warning signs through her body.

"I said I slept up stairs so you wouldn't wake up next to me and be scared… but now that you know I am here when you wake up you won't be scared."

He walked over to the candle that burned and moved the soup off from over it, and then lit a much smaller candle before he blew the big one out. They were both almost completely incased in darkness, the small candle he held barely lit up his face. Alice watched in terror as he slowly walked towards and her and pulled the covers up over her.

"Don't act like a shy young school girl… you are to brave for that. Had I intended to have my way with you it would have already happened." Stayne sat down next to her and blew the candle out. The darkness was now complete as Alice felt his huge body lay down next to her and rest. The heat the emanated from his body warmed her though she would never admit to it. His back was to her, which she was grateful for but how long would it last?

Alice scooted all the way against the wall and tried not to move, "Stop moving or I will tie you up again." The Knave said in a dull voice.

Alice stuck her tongue out in the dark and was glad he couldn't see it, she had the last word with out him knowing.

"And keep that tongue of yours in your mouth unless you want me to put it to good use." Alice felt her face get hot and she pushed further away from him. This was going to be a long night.

**A/N: So here is chapter three and chapter four will be up sometime tomorrow. Enjoy! **


	4. Confession

**A/N: I am so happy people are liking this story, I was so nervous to write it because all I have as reference is the Disney cartoon, Tim Burton's movie and a few tv series that kind of took a naturalist/post-modern spin to it. So I am glad people aren't flaming me for my ignorance. **

**WARNING: Alice does use the restroom in this and it includes digging a hole. So if you want to skip it go ahead. It's not an important scene. **

**Chapter 4 **

**Confession **

Alice woke up warm and toasty, she slowly opened her eyes and breathed deep stretching as she did so. She lay her head back down only to realize she wasn't lying on a pillow. She looked up to see her head was snuggled into The Knave's chest and the man was lying with his arms and hands resting on the back of her head and her lower back.

Quickly the girl shoved away and fell off the bed; apparently sometime in the night they had changed positions. She didn't want to even imagine how she managed to get over his hulking body. She lay on the cold floor trying to decide if she wanted to try and get back on the bed by herself or if she wanted to wake the Knave.

She eventually tired of collecting dust on her face and sat up, she sneezed and realized she had to go to the bathroom. Where in God's name was the bathroom?

She saw stairs on the far side of the room sighed, no possible way; she would exhaust herself before she ever got to the top. She looked to the door; maybe if she went outside on the far side of the house, no one else was out here right?

She started to push herself to the door; she was about to push it open when she noticed that the door was locked.

"Oh for Pete's sake!" Alice said in a frustrated but hushed voice. She looked around again and then noticed the broken broom handle on the floor. She grabbed it and used it to push the lock up and the door swung open with a bang. She looked at the Knave who didn't move or make a noise.

Alice breathed a sigh of relief and pushed herself into the morning light that was filtering into the dim room. Upon reaching the outside she was to frustrated at this point to go slow, she allowed herself to topple down the three steps that led to the front door and once on the dusty ground she rested a moment.

When Alice felt her strength returning to her she sat up dusted off what she could and started to drag her body around the side of the house. She scooted backwards dragging her legs behind her.

It took some time and a lot of her energy but she made it to the side of the large brick house and pushed herself next to a large wooden crate that had a lock on it. This would work for now.

Alice dug a hole in the dirt and then positioned herself over it. She pulled the black tunic up and then she peed quickly in hopes that she could get back before the Knave woke up. When she was done she moved herself aside, pushed the dirt and sand into the hole and started her long journey back once she pulled the tunic down around her.

She was just two feet passed the large wooden box when she heard a low growl and slowly she looked up. A large beast stood on top of the wooden box sniffing at it. The beast was about as big as one of the large wild cats that were in the London Zoo and it looked twice as threatening. Large claws, teeth and drool with red eyes and a large angry looking mouth.

"How long have you been there?" Alice asked staring at the beast, which stared at her and licked it's lips.

"I see… well I just had to use the restroom so I will just go inside and leave you to your sniffing." Alice started to slink back towards the front door but the beast did not go back to it's sniffing. Instead it jumped from it's perch on the box and slowly started to walk towards her.

"Oh dear…. Oh dear…. Uh… KNAVE? KNAVE! ILOSOVIC!" Alice screamed as the beast jumped at her.

Alice fell back into the dust and covered her head with her arms leaving her torso exposed. She was waiting for the teeth and the claws and the pain but it never came. She sat up and looked in shock, her jaw dropped.

"KNAVE!" Alice yelled with joy as the man wrestled the beast. Alice watched as the large man kicked the beast and it went tumbling into the sand. It shot up and jumped at him, the Knave jumped and managed to get on the beast's back.

Alice watched as he took hold of the Beast's head as the creature jumped around and growled in anger and aggression. Finally Alice had to cover her eyes as The Knave quickly snapped the beast's neck. The animal fell down dead and Alice peeked through her hands and felt the tears fill her eyes.

The beast had just been hungry and while Alice didn't appreciate the fact that it tried to eat her she wished he hadn't killed it. She would cry for the beast tonight and hope it ended up in a happy place.

Alice was pulled from her thoughts as the large knave staggered away from the beast and towards her, he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her up, "What the hell are you doing out here! Why didn't you run! Were you trying to kill yourself? Where you trying to kill me!" The Knave screamed at her.

Alice stared in utter lose for words, "I didn't mean to… I just had to use the restroom I didn't know the beast was…"

"Why didn't you run! You stupid girl!" The Knave tossed her down on the ground and started to walk away, "Wait! Please!" Alice said.

The Knave didn't turn fully around, his head turned to the side slightly and all she could see was his eye patch.

"I can't… I mean… I couldn't run away." Alice said.

"What, the brave champion can slay the Jabberwocky but can't face a Tion Cub? That beast wasn't even fully grown!"

"No… I mean it isn't that… I just can't…"

"Why didn't you run!" The Knave yelled at her turning around to face her.

"I can't walk!" Alice finally screamed, she couldn't help herself she started to sob, "I can't bloody walk. My legs have been dead for the past year." Alice threw herself down on the ground and sobbed even harder. She hadn't wanted to tell him, she had wanted to pretend that she was fine and that she was only sick. She didn't want him to know how weak and pathetic she had become.

Alice felt two large hands come and pushed underneath her, she was lifted from the dusty ground and she looked up at the Knave who stared at her with a stone cold face, "I had to go to the bathroom, I didn't want to wake you. I went outside because I knew I wouldn't make it up the stairs. I went to the side of the house and that is when that thing attacked me." Alice said wiping the tears away and trying her best to glare at him.

The Knave didn't say anything for a long moment and then glanced at the beast and then back at Alice, "Did you use the restroom?" he asked.

Alice blushed horribly but nodded, he turned then and walked back towards the house, "What will you do with the body of that poor creature?" Alice asked looking around him back at the lifeless body of the creature.

"I will skin him, we could use some more meat and another fur would be nice to have since winter isn't far off. I can make some more weapons from the bones and use the teeth and claws as weapons. It wasn't a wasted kill but I don't plan to kill another anytime soon. It's hard enough to kill a cub let alone an adult."

Once they were inside he set Alice down on the bed and sat in the chair, suddenly Alice noticed his arm, "Oh no!" she said taking his arm and looking at the three deep cuts on his fore arm. "I am so sorry Knave." She reached towards ripped a long piece of black cloth from the tunic. She grabbed the gourd and popped the cork, "Water yes?" The Knave stared at her and nodded.

She poured some water onto the cloth and started to clean his wound, "Thank you for saving me Knave…I know I've done nothing but been a burden. It seems I am a burden no matter where I am at."

He stared at her a moment and then asked, "Tell me champion, what happened?"

Alice glanced up from the wound and met his eye, she sighed and went back to cleaning it. "The last time I left Underland, after I defeated your Red Queen… I was sent over seas as an apprentice to help expand my father's trade business. I was gone for two years and despite me being a woman I was able to accomplish much. Upon my return I was walking back to my mother's home with a friend of mine, William Ulrich."

Alice stopped a moment and poured some fresh water onto the cloth and then went back to work, "He crossed the street to have a word with a friend of his he hadn't seen since he left for China four years prior." Alice felt her breath hitch in her throat but she managed to continue despite the tears that threatened to fall.

"While I was following I saw something that distracted me…I went looking after it only to discover it was nothing important. But by that time I was too distracted to noticed the carriage and horses rushing down the street. Apparently the mail was running terribly late and he didn't see me till he was almost upon me. He yanked the horses to get them to stop and they lost there footing and tumbled, which caused the carriage to swing out and shatter. The driver was pulled under; I turned to run but wasn't fast enough, the carriage landed on my back and broke both my legs. The doctor's told my mother that once my legs mended I'd be able to walk again… but when I tried I couldn't. My legs are completely dead." Alice said feeling a tear roll down her face.

"I keep trying though, one day they will hold me up… one day I will make them work and I won't be a burden to anyone." Alice said looking up at his face with determination. She tore another piece of cloth from the tunic and wrapped his freshly cleaned wounds.

"Now we match." She said showing him the three scars on her upper arm. The Knave didn't say anything, he just stared between her and his arm. Alice sat there staring at her legs, "One day they will listen to me." She repeated more so to herself then to the Knave.

The large man stood and walked over to the large candle in the fireplace, he took to pieces of flint and lit the candle, "What ever happened to this William fellow? Does he still keep you company?" The Knave asked.

Alice felt her eyes fill with tears again, "No… once he found out I couldn't walk he took his proposal back saying that he couldn't handle what I had become. I was too much of a inconvenience. He promised to continue the work I started but he knew I couldn't travel the world with him any more so he left taking his ring with him."

"You were engaged?" The Knave asked looking over his shoulder at her as he moved the soup pot back over the flame.

"I don't know… if the man takes the ring back I am not sure someone could really be engaged to begin with… I think he was just playing a mean and cruel trick." Alice said with a soft voice.

The Knave kept his eye trained on her down cast face and sighed, "Well, the only thing to do now then is finish getting rid of this sickness that has made you weak and help your legs remember how to walk."

"What?" Alice asked looking up at him.

"If the doctor said you should be able to walk then you should be able to walk… doctors often know what they are talking about. My best guess is that when your legs were so viciously set upon by the carriage they fell victim to what we in Underland like to call sarsictoogan."

"What is that?"

"Your legs have simply forgotten how to walk… all you have to do is help them remember. I had the same experience once."

Alice stared at him with wide eyes, "What do you mean?"

The Knave crossed to her and sat in the chair next to the bed, "When I was a boy I was climbing a tree in my father's orchard. The tree was old and very tall, I fell from the top, my back and legs were battered from the large thick branches and when I landed my legs smashed painfully on a large piece of rock. I couldn't walk for a long time because my legs needed to heal. A year after my entire lower half was shattered I was told I should be okay to walk. When I stood for the first time I crumpled to the floor. It had been so long since my legs and walked they had forgotten. All you have to do is be persistent and perform the right exercises and your legs should work in no time."

Alice stared at him and looked down at her legs, "But I have no feeling… I have no movement, I've tried for months to get my legs to work."

"Takes longer then that, talking to them helps, massaging is another thing, not to mention singing to them."

"Singing to my legs?" Alice questioned, "What a silly idea."

"You think it is silly my little flower but once your legs start to dance you won't think it is silly."

Alice stared at him and then narrowed her eyes, "Knave, I have been through a lot in the past year, I have never been so unhappy in my whole entire life. If you are lying to me to get my hopes up and then dash them across the rocks I beg you to tell me now because I may not be able to go on if I found out months from now that you are lying to me."

The Knave stared at her a moment and he sighed, "Perhaps an example." He stood and placed his hands under her arms lifting her up so that her legs dangled in the air. "Focus on NOTHING but your legs, their bones, their muscle, their skin, the hairs on them if any and do not focus on anything else. Alice looked down at her legs and stared, she tried her hardest to focus on nothing else, she thought it strange to pay to much attention to them but what other choice did she have. She focused so hard she thought for a moment she may see through them.

Her thoughts were distracted when the Knave of Hearts started to hum a haunting tune. She looked up at him and his eye looked at her in return, "Not me you stupid girl your legs, focus on them not me."

Alice eyed him a moment longer and then focused on her legs, the Knave started to hum again but she tried to ignore it, she focused on her legs and she didn't feel him set her down. She looked at her toenails and her toes and her foot, her anklebone that stood out and left a bump on her foot. She saw her tendons flex and suddenly her toe moved. It was barely visible but it did move her big toe bounced once.

"It moved!" Alice screamed, she looked up at the Knave and her smile turned into a puzzled frown when she realized he wasn't holding her anymore. She looked at her legs, which, despite the fact they were crooked were holding her on their own. In that instant of recognition she crumpled again but sat up instantly and stared at her legs.

The Knave stopped humming and she looked up at him, "I DID IT!" She shrieked, "You were right it worked!" The Knave smirked in a know-it-all way but Alice didn't care, she had just stood on her own and her toe had moved. She instantly focused back on her feet, "Hum for me again Ilosovic! Quickly! I have to see it move again."

"Sorry champion, you have to get over your sickness before we can work on your legs. Remember first we walk then we run." He lifted her once again from the floor and set her in the bed, the Knave crossed to the soup to check and see if it was warmed up all the way.

The Knave turned when he heard Alice humming; she was rubbing her legs up and down and massaging the muscles. He closed his eye a moment and listened to her soft hum, she had a beautiful voice. He poured two bowls of hot soup and moved back to her, "Allow them rest. They accomplished a big feet today."

Alice giggled, "Why Knave I didn't know you had a sense of humor."

"I made a joke?" he asked staring at her strangely. He handed her the bowl and she started to slurp down the soup, "This soup has worked wonders in only a matter of hours." Alice said.

"My mother was a remedy woman. She knew how to heal even the most serious of illnesses."

"Your mother sounded like a great woman." Alice said eating a chunk of meat from the bottom of the bowl.

"She was." The Knave said.

"If you don't mind me asking how did she die?" Alice asked studying his face.

The Knave's face was blank, no emotion, he looked up at her and then down at the floor, "She drowned..." he said.

"She couldn't swim?" Alice asked.

"It's hard to breath when your head is being held under the water." The Knave said.

Alice's spoon was frozen mid way between her mouth and the bowl, "She was murdered?"

"Yes… by my father."

Alice had lost her appetite, she set the remaining soup and bowl aside and set the spoon down next to it. "I am so sorry." She said.

"Do not apologize… it has long since been over. It is in the past and that is where I keep it. Besides I avenged her."

Alice stared a moment and then watched as he stood and grabbed both the bowls, "You avenged her?"

"Yes… I killed my father. He can't ever hurt her again, not her spirit, or her memory, or her children."

"Why… why did he kill her?" Alice asked.

The Knave turned to her and cleared his throat, "Do you want some more soup?"

"No… I lost my appetite." She said softly wondering what the Knave must have really gone through as a child.

Perhaps that is why he is so dark, so threatening, he went through a lot. The silence between them was deafening for a long moment before the Knave set the bowls aside and leaned on the table, "He killed her because he allowed his madness to get the best of him. He had a short temper, and he drank much. He allowed paranoia and jealousy to control his madness and one night he caught her outside. He thought she was trying to leave him, he drug her to the river and drowned her. I saw him do it from my window, but by the time I got there he was gone and she was laying on the bank as cold as the grave."

"That is horrible."

"That is life in Underland… there has always been this ridiculous and uncontrollable madness that no one seems to want to contain. I've fought my madness for years, so did your friend the Hatter…"

At the mention of the Hatter Alice looked up at the Knave as he turned on her and slowly started to walk over, "When he lost the rest of his clan his madness was finally unleashed. He trailed me for months before he finally caught up with me. He gave me this lovely little scar." The Knave said pointing at a large slice across his tight lean stomach.

"You came down here in hopes to cure your legs… you are lucky that you can get back to the upperland. If you stay you will go mad… it's a sickness no one can escape." The Knave said now standing in front of her; her head was craned to look up at him.

The Knave felt a sweat break out on his brow and his hand slowly rose to her face and cupped Alice's chin. So much talk of the madness must have awoken his own for he felt the burning desire course through his body. He felt himself clench his teeth and his arm and chest started to shake.

"Knave what is wrong?" Alice asked.

"You don't have to call me that you know." He said softly as he gently rubbed his fingers down the side of her face. "You know my name… you can call me by my name."

"Only if you start calling me Alice." She said with a sly smirk.

His thumb ran over her rose petal lips and his breath hitched in his throat, Alice's brow wrinkled and she nervously pushed his hand away. Stayne frowned and jerked his head away as if he was waking up from a trance. He turned from her and with out saying a word walked outside. Alice stared after him and sighed, she went back to working on her legs.

**A/N: So that is that, I made up a bunch of background on Stayne so don't yell at me if I messed things up. I hope you enjoyed it! **


	5. Bathing Time

**A/N: I know I need to keep the sub plots coming but I just want to focus on Ilosovic and Alice. So Maybe at the end of this chapter I will add more sub plot but I am just having a hard time coming up with the catch that I know needs to exist. **

**Chapter 5 **

**Bathing time**

Ilosovic Stayne sat on top of his crooked home and stared at the sun as it traveled slowly across the sky. His plan was taking shape indeed, now that he knew what Alice's problems were he had the ability to help her and make himself look like the hero.

But he had to make sure he didn't get in to deep, he never imagined they would be so like and yet so different. He wished she was still larger; he had always had a thing for largeness. All things considered he was still taken with her beauty. He had to keep himself in check because if he didn't he would end up the bad guy again. The Bloody Red Knave would be considered nothing but exactly what he was.

Bloody and barbaric.

Ilosovic Stayne needed power, he needed greatness, and he couldn't do it with out becoming the good guy. If he had to become The White Knave he would but until he had the title he had to keep himself at bay. He had to control himself and his desires and his madness because the one thing Ilosovic didn't want to become was like his father.

Sure he had killed hundreds already, and he had enjoyed every moment of it, that was who he was. He would always love being destructive, and for a long time he had followed in his father's footsteps. He had no mercy for anyway, but now that the Red Queen was no longer controlling his status Stayne had the option… he had the choice to either be his father or be better then his father.

"Stayne? Where are you?" he heard the girl call, the tall men stood and walked to the edge of the building, he jumped and flipped once managing to land on his feet and only feeling a little pain.

"What is it?" Stayne asked with only a slight hint of annoyance.

"I need your help." Alice said sitting in the doorway, he looked at her and rolled his eye.

"Don't look so inconvenienced you were just sitting on the roof."

"Thought child is a good way to keep the madness at bay."

Alice didn't say anything as he stepped over her and hoisted her up, "You have to be tired of picking me up. You can let me alone, I've managed well enough. I can pull or crawl if need be." Alice said.

"A true gentleman never allows a woman to crawl or scoot herself about like a sick animal."

Alice rolled her eyes and the knave chuckled slightly, "What do you need?" he asked trying to seem like this little moment wasn't bothering him. He kept the small smile plastered on his lips and tried to seem happy to help.

"I really really need to take a bath… is there such a place in this house?" Stayne stared at her, his smile having been wiped from his face. Images filled his mind and he did his best to push them away.

"There is no place to bath here, I usually walk a few miles to the nearest water source and bath there."

"You bath in the water you drink?"

Staybe turned and dropped her on the bed, "One has little choice when they are in exile flower…. I get by with the cards I am dealt."

"You really are good with the jokes." Alice said with a smirk.

"I didn't make a joke." He said with annoyance. He pulled on a tunic and tied the gourds around his body, he secured the chain as well and then crossed back to Alice, "You will hate me for this but it's easier to carry you long distances over my shoulder."

Before Alice could protest he lifted her up and tossed her over his shoulder. "YOU KNAVE!" She screamed in protest.

"Hush up or I will let you roll around in your own filth." Alice's mouth snapped shut and she hang there as the large man ducked so they could make it out the door.

000000000000

The White Queen sat in her throne room and perked up as she saw The Hatter and company walk in, "Your highness! So good to see you!" The Hatter said.

"Hello Terrant. How is the tea party?" she asked.

"Wonderful as always, I have finally had the pleasure of moving from the letter M to the letter L, such wonderful things, Lost, Lousy, Lose, lustful, licentious…" he trailed off.

"Wonderful list so far my friend… tell me… any word of Alice?"

"Indeed not." The Hatter said, his once happy face turning solemn and sad.

"Have no fear my friends for I have an idea, we will send Bayard… he is familiar with her scent, perhaps we can use his nose to find our champion."

"A marvelous idea." The Hatter said.

"Perhaps we bring the bandersnatch?

"Perhaps we don't?"

"Would it help any you think?"

"No I think it wouldn't help at all."

"It might I say indeed."

"No indeed no way."

"I say we take him… the Bandersnatch has always liked Alice… could be a bit of muscle on our side." Mally said hopping from the Hatter's shoulder and down onto TweedleDum's head.

"I do think you speak sense Mally… yes, usually the Bandersnatch is napping under the flower trees at this time of day. Offer him some meat and he should be more then happy to oblige you with the search." The White Queen said with a twitchy smile.

The group bowed and tuned to go and the White Queen couldn't help but feel like there was trouble in the air. Something wicked was coming and she wasn't sure she would be able to locate Alice in time to stop it.

OOOOOOOO

Alice took a deep breath when Ilosovic set her down next to the pond's water.

"We can not stay long, remember I am not supposed to be here. Twenty minutes, the water is shallow if you stay near the shore." The Knave removed his boots and his tunic and waded out before he dived below the surface.

Alice watched as he glided soundlessly through the water, she noticed the chain that led up to his cuffed wrist was gliding along behind him. A thought occurred to her, one that hadn't the entire time she had been stuck with the Knave.

How on Earth did he escape the Red Queen? Did he kill her? Was she alive? How long had he been on his own and if the Red Queen was alive where was she now? When the Knave's head came out of the water she stared out at him and cocked her head to the side in thought.

She caught his eye and he gave her a strange look right back, "What seems to be the problem champion?"

Alice crossed her arms over her chest, "Don't call me that remember? Call me Alice or I will call you Knave until the end of Underland."

"Very well you stubborn child, what seems to be the problem _Alice_?" he said with much more annoyance.

"Well _Ilosovic, _I was just wondering what happened to the Red Queen?"

Stayne stood there a moment having already wondered when the girl would ask this question, the dilemma he had was whether or not to tell her the truth. He took a gourd and uncorked it hoping this action would give him time to think. Indeed it did for the girl didn't press him for the answer as to the fact she was waiting for him to finish his chore.

Finally when both gourds were filled he waded back to the shore and set them down beside her and then looked at the cuff on his wrist, the truth then if he had to tell her at all.

"The Red Queen is not dead, at least by my hand. Last I saw of her she was running further into the desert of the wastelands. She had gone rather bonkers and I can't honestly say I didn't help it along a little. You obviously know my feelings of being stuck with her forever, who would want to be?"

"But how did you break the chain?"

"Funny thing about chains, they are only metal." Ilosovic said with an evil smirk.

"It took me about five hours of constant work but after many many violent and crazy hits with a rock metal will heat and eventually break. Once I broke the chain I thought I was honestly going to kill her, she had been screaming at me the entire time, ordering me about, calling me useless and pathetic when I was the one building the fires, finding food, then she would eat it all herself. I knew if I stayed with her I would die or hunger of the madness. So when the chain was broken I took off running. She screamed worse then the Jubb Jubb bird when I ran, I heard her still screaming when I was over a mile away."

"And you don't know where she is at now or what she could be doing?" Alice asked.

"No. And as selfish as it may seem I am glad. One night I ran into a particularly nasty creature and notice it was going the way I came, I ran after it realizing if it ran into Iracebeth she would be killed. Not that I cared mind you but it was the principle of the thing, I was still technically her Knave after all and if I had to live in the waste just for doing my job then she would have to too."

"What happened with the beast?"

"I followed it quietly and eventually it did reach the spot I had last left the queen but she was no where to be found. At that point I realized that since she was no longer in power I was no longer her Knave. I was a free man and though I was in exile it was a fresh start. I could eventually earn back my right to live in Underland and maybe one day be the advisor to the White Queen if she would ever have me."

"You really think she would take the exile away only after three years?"

"I doubt it unless I did something miraculously just and kind, something that could really show how much I've change. But in the end good side or bad side it is all the same. The only thing I want is to be in power again and have the ability to use a sword. I am a simple man and leading an army, using a sword, hurting or helping the kingdom, makes me happy."

"So… you will be loyal to what ever side you are on as long as you are on a side?" Alice asked.

"Of course, that is the job of a true Knave, you have a side and no matter what happens you are loyal to it. Thus why I never questioned the Red Queen even if her ideas or plans were highly illogical or cruel. I would however, because of my status in her court be able to sway her opinion at times, and of course I seemed to be the only one who could get her temper under control."

"So you never really believed in Iracebeth's ideas? You never really cared for her way of doing things?"

The Knave stared out over the water and sighed, "Something's I did enjoy it, hurting people, using my power and statues to get what I want, being able to have who ever I wanted and being able to stand next to the queen and have her ask me for advice. Leading an angry red army and the Jabberwocky. But that was just who I am… I know I could be good; I could enjoy helping people as much as hurting them. I am sure even you have hurt people and it has made you feel good at some point."

Alice recalled the day she returned from Underland, she hadn't said anything to mean but it had given her satisfaction to have the power, courage and strength to say no to Hamish, to tell off his mother, to stand up to her own mother, and then to dance like that in front of all those people, showing she didn't like their rules of living. Because of her ability to do what she felt was right and to be loyal to herself she was able to adventure for two whole years as the only female apprentice.

Maybe the Knave was right though, when Alice and her sister were younger they fought and she took great pleasure in causing problems for her. Perhaps the Knave was not as good of a man as he should be, obviously he had evil tendencies, but maybe that was the madness. After all he had done a marvelous job of taking care of her and protecting her. He hadn't even tried to force himself upon her like he had in the castle.

Which reminded Alice, "Ilosovic?"

"Yes, Alice?"

"Why did you corner me in the hall of the Red Queen's castle? Was it just because I was large?"

Ilosovic felt himself start to sweat; the vision of Alice in her large form filled his head. It wasn't necessarily that he liked large women, but more so what they represented. The Larger you are the stronger you are, the more powerful you are, the better you are. He was an abnormally tall me, quiet large himself and it was hard to find someone who fit just right with him. But the idea of a strong and powerful, not to mention high-spirited woman just drove him crazy.

"Not just because of that no." he finally said, "You were, well are, extremely beautiful Alice. You seemed smart in an almost clever way. You were fierce, strong, determined, and you seemed like at any moment you would pick up a sword and slay anyone who got in your way. I like when a woman is strong… it rivals my own strength and I feel like she is my equal."

Alice nodded and smirked, "You know, if you hadn't been on the Red Queen's court I may have returned your advances. But as everyone knows, a champion never loves the bad guy."

"Ah yes, the fate of the evil Knave to never be loved." Ilosovic said standing and then bending down to pick her up.

"Do you think badly of me? Because I have so much evil still inside of me?" he said as he waded into the water with her.

"I do not think of you as bad so much as just missled. Perhaps if your father had not murdered your mother you wouldn't have gotten a taste for blood at such a young age. Perhaps you would have grown up to be a flower maker or remedy man like your mother. You may have never fought in the war or become the red queens personal assassin."

"Oh my, perhaps I am glad my father murdered my mother, I would hate a life like that. I've always craved action. Potting flowers of making medicine would never have worked for me."

"Well then maybe you would have been a soldier, been an assassin for the good guys. You mother seemed like a good woman and I believe that each person has half of their parents personality and have of their parents looks. I look like my mother, but think like my father."

Ilosovic stared at her as he sunk down to his knees and Alice's body was submerged, her head was perfectly out of the water and she stared kindly at the Knave, "Perhaps you look like your father and somewhere inside you have the personality of your mother? Her kind heart or her healing ability? Look what you have done for me… I moved my toe and I am no longer sick. You have a very good healing touch Knave even if you hate the idea of being a remedy man."

"No more talk, wash yourself." The Knave said softly leaning her back so her hair spread out in the water like yellow ink.

Alice started at her toes and slowly worked her way up her legs, she rubbed at the dirt and the bruises and the mud that covered her body. The bruises had come from her constant rolling herself down the stairs, from dragging herself, from falling. She was used to the odd little pain now and again but was surprised at how many bruises she had.

She worked her way up her thigh and then glanced up at the Knave, "Close your eye." She said. He sighed but obliged. Alice scrubbed up under the tunic, getting her stomach, her chest area and her backside.

"Okay open them." she said. The Knave's eyes shot open and her stared at her as she rubbed her neck and then laid her head back, she felt his large hands holding her in the water but she wanted to enjoy this relaxing moment. For at this very second she was flying.

"I've always enjoyed the feel of floating, it's like I am flying, no weight or gravity, no hard floors or wooden corners. No tables or chairs or bed to fall out of and I don't have to worry about lying on the floor helpless for hours. As long as the current isn't too strong I can actually move in the water on my own."

The Knave smirked and took his hands away from her; she sunk for a moment before popping up and staring at him with an annoyed but playful face. She shoved her hands out and a small wave of water soaked his face.

"Well you know champion this means war!" he shot some water back at her and then dove underneath. Alice cleaned the water from her eyes and then looked around. "Knave?"

Suddenly two large hands came up around her and she was pulled up, obviously she couldn't kick but her hands worked find. She reached out and found his body pushing away as she did in and attempt escape his grasp. The Knave stood and Alice noticed he wasn't letting her go.

Alice laughed a moment and then met his eye, he was smirking at her in his crooked way and she liked it. As if in a trance she slowly leaned in and Ilosovic knew what she was going to do. He could either stop it or he could allow it. Which why made him the good guy? What way made him the bad guy?

Her lips graced his as a howl filled the air, "Bayard?" Alice asked looking away from the Knave and towards the trees. The Knave's head shot around and suddenly he was dragging Alice towards the deepest part of the pool.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

The Knave didn't respond as he pushed further and further into the deepest part of the pool. Large assortments of rocks were near and he moved behind them.

He covered Alice's mouth with his hand and sunk down so only her nose as above the water. Then he waited.

"What is it Bayard? Have you found a trail?" Alice recognized that voice.

"MALLY!" She tried to say but her voice was only a mumbled since her mouth was under the water.

"I have found a trail of blood… some creature has been wounded in the hunt." The deep baritone of the bloodhound sounded through the forest. The Knave didn't move and he didn't breath, he simply waited.

"What good does old blood do us?" Mally asked.

"I can smell the hunter… it was… I am not sure this is right."

"Who was the hunter Bayard?" Alice heard that voice and started to struggle, "HATTER!" She tried to call.

"The Knave...and Alice." Bayard said.

"THE KNAVE?" The entire group said at once.

Stayne rolled his eye, he had forgotten to come back and clean up the blood trail. He was a fool who had just caused his own demise.

"Surely not the Knave!"

"Surely so."

"Not so surely."

"But of course surely the hound's nose knows."

"It knows not if the Knave is in exile."

"Exile right?"

"There is little in the Outerlands… he may have come into Underland to hunt for food." Bayard said continuing to sniff.

The Knave closed his eye and listened, the sniffing was getting closer. Stayne leaned into Alice's ear and whispered as softly as he could, "Take a deep breath." Alice did as she was told and the Knave sunk under the water.

Alice could hear the group talking but couldn't make out what they were saying. The Knave looked up to see the bloodhound standing on the rocks right above them looking out over the pound. If a single bubble came up they were done for.

Moments passed and eventually the bloodhound moved on, "Let us follow the trail, perhaps the Knave is playing a part in this that Mirana could not foresee." The group followed the trail and even after Stayne couldn't hear them he stayed under.

He felt Alice's grip loosen and he peered at her to see she was unconscious. He shot out of the water and dragged her to the shore, the second time she must have been pulled from this pool and saved from drowning.

He tilted her head back and pushed on her chest, the water shot from her and she coughed trying to clear her throat.

"I am sorry my dear but you are my key." He said as he picked up a still unconscious Alice. He carried her through the forest quicker then he ever had before. If he could beat them back he knew he could trick them.

He took the fastest root he knew and was glad to see that they were nowhere in site when his shack appeared. He quickly went to the wooden box and lifted the lid. The smell was horrible but that is what he hoped for, he laid Alice down among the dead creatures pulled the Tion cub over her and then shut the lid. He locked it and headed inside. All he had to do was wait. He looked down at himself, wet pants, sandy boots and shirt.

He instantly went into action and placed the gourds of water on the table. He cleaned his boots and grabbed a dry tunic and threw the old one in the now close to empty soup pot.

He turned to his bed, it probably reeked of Alice in here, what could he do? He grabbed some of his drying herbs and placed them on the bed after covering it with the animal furs. Where else had the damn girl been? Under the bed and on the floor, he took a small pile of his dirty clothes and threw them under the bed and then started to sweep the floor quickly. Was there anything else he was forgetting?

He knew that Alice used the bathroom but she always went outside and from what he could figure she must cover it with dust and dirt. Hopefully that would take care of any extra smells the damn bloodhound would pick up.

A sudden rap on the door made the Knave take two deep breath and tuck his make shift dagger in his belt. He pushed his hair back so it looked somewhat kept and then strode to the door with confidence and a stern look. If he could fool the Red Queen then he could fool these buffoons.

He opened the door to reveal the small group, the two short twins who were very odd, the Hatter, the Dormouse, oddly the Mad March Hare was not with them and of course the BloodHound.

"Oh my, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit? Surely a group of… rebels such as yourself were not exiled as I was. The White Queen seemed awfully fond of you all last I heard."

"You shouldn't have heard at all bloody Knave." The Hatter said in a low Scottish accent, his eyes were a bright orange and he stared at him with an evil glow.

"Still mad I see." The Knave said leaning in the door way as if this entire interaction was no big deal.

"Bayard smelled that you were in Underland… you are not suppose to leave exile for any reason." Mally said pointing her little needle sword at him.

"Unfortunately little Dormouse I need food and water to survive and if you haven't noticed there is not much out here but desert."

"That's the point, the White queen could not kill you herself so she hoped the Outerlands would do it for her." The Hatter said glaring at him.

"Leaving nature to do men's work… pity for her I am resourceful."

"And what of the bloody big head… where has she gone to?" Mally asked.

The Knave eyed Bayard as he put his nose to the ground and started to sniff, "The Red Queen has no control over me. I left her long ago, I work for myself now and all I thirst for is survival."

"You don't happen to have a champion in there do you?" The Hatter asked looking past the Knave.

"The champion has returned to Underland… how marvelous… the White Queen and all her court must be very happy."

"Indeed we are… but it seems we have a wee bit of a problem… we can't find her. We found your blood trail poacher… it led out here and it was laced with her scent… you haven't seen her have you bloody red Knave?"

"I assure you I am no poacher, I only kill what I intend to eat." The Knave stepped out of the house and Mally darted in, he let her go as he felt confident there was nothing she could find.

He rounded the corner of the house to see Bayard was sniffing the box, "What have you in here Knave?" the bloodhound asked casually.

"My slain creatures… a Tion cub and a Elkon. I took them from the forest, the Elkon about a week ago, the Tion cub attacked me out here while I was checking on something's and I had no choice but to kill it."

"What things could you check on out here dear Knave?" The hatter asked.

"I thought my shack was going to fall because of a wind storm the previous night… I was making sure everything was in order."

Bayard sniffed the box a long time before he exhaled quickly and turned to the Hatter, "I smell nothing of Alice here, only dead things and plants. He speaks the truth."

"Very good of you to tell us the truth, but bad because you are now at the mercy of the queen. Hunting on the land you were exiled from is a risky idea to begin with but openly admitting to defying the queen's orders… you won't be around much longer Stayne… if the desert doesn't finish you off someone will." The Hatter said turning and leading the group back from whence they came.

The Knave climbed to the top of the house and waited, they were almost out of site. He knew that had been a close call, way to close, upon climbing down he rounded the house and unlocked the wooden box. He shifted the Tion aside and pulled Alice out. Thankfully she was still unconscious, that smell probably would have knocked her back out if she had been awake.

He carried her inside and shut the door; Stayne moved the herbs aside and lay her down on the bed. He kneeled beside her and waited for her to wake up.

**A/N: There you go! Chapter five in a nutshell! There is more to come! Don't fret! Thank you for all the wonderful constructive reviews they have helped me greatly.**


	6. Begging for Salvation

**A/N: So I still have no idea what the climax or sub plot is but if anyone thinks of something good I will be more then happy to take it into consideration. I really don't want to bring the Red Queen back into the story unless I have no other choice. I don't know if I should make my own villain or if I should just wait and see what feels right. Let me know what your input is. **

**Chapter 6**

**Begging for Salvation **

Alice's eyes opened slowly and she stared up at the ceiling for a moment, her head once again ached but she didn't feel sick. Had she passed out? What had happened? She recalled hearing Mally and the Hatter but where was the Knave?

"Alice?" came a soft masculine voice from her side; she turned her head to see the Knave kneeling on the floor beside her.

"Ilosovic? W-what happened? Weren't we at the pond? Where are the Hatter and Mallyumpkin?"

The Knave bent his head down and then his lone eye peered up at her from under his mess of black hair, "They are on their way back to the White Queen." He said softly.

"Do they know you are taking care of me?" Alice asked trying hard to remember what she was forgetting.

The Knave heaved a heavy sigh and shook his head, "They do not."

"Why did you not tell them?" Alice asked remembering that she had tried to call out to them.

"I couldn't… I couldn't let them know I had you." The Knave said looking like he may start crying at any moment.

"What? Why not?"

"I didn't want them to know, respect that please." The Knave said.

Alice focused hard on her memories and then suddenly she saw it, she remembered his hand over her mouth, how he had not allowed her to call out, and how he pulled her under the water and held her there for so long she passed out.

"You… you hid me. I remember; you wouldn't let me call to them! WHY! Why did you keep me from my friends?"

The Knave tried to take her hand but she pulled away from him and gave him an angry look, "I couldn't let them know I had you Alice." He said again

"Why not!" Alice all but screamed.

The Knave stood and walked over to the door, he didn't open it but he kept his back to her.

"You just want to keep me away from them don't you. You never cared about helping me! You just wanted to keep them away from me so I couldn't see them!"

"No." The Knave said not moving.

"You really are evil aren't you, and selfish. You coward!"

"Do not take a tone with me Alice!"

"I will take what ever tone I wish with you, you lied to me! You are keeping me a prisoner here! You are cruel! You are awful! You are a bad man!"

"NO!" The Knave screamed turning and slamming his fist against the door, "I couldn't let them know I had to you! They would have taken you away! They would have accused me of trying to hurt you or of kidnapping you! I couldn't let them take you away from me! I need you!" The Knave screamed staring at her.

Alice saw the madness in his eye, she saw how his body shook with anger, and she saw how crazed and aggressive his appearance was. His face was curled into a snarl and in a flash he crossed to her and took her hands.

"I want to be the one to help you Alice. I want to be the one who helps you walk again. I want to prove to myself and to them I am a good person. The instant they found out I had you the instant they would have taken you away and I would be out here alone again. I don't want to be alone again Alice, I much like your company."

His voice had slowly grown softer and softer until it was but a whisper, "I care for you Alice. I do, I want to help but if they knew… if they knew I had you I would become the bad man. I would be the secret keeper and they would never trust me!"

He brought his head down to rest at her feet and nervously rubbed her hand with his own, he was breathing heavy, almost like he was going to have a panic attack.

"Who are you?" Alice asked almost inaudibly.

The knave looked up at her and she saw the lone tear in his eye, it had yet to fall but it was dangerously close.

"Please let me help you. Let me prove myself. Once you are healed we can walk to Marmoreal together. I will let you tell them everything that has happened, the good and the bad. But please… let me be the one to save you."

Alice stared as the tear slowly ran down his face; she reached out with her free hand and wiped it away. She took his chin in her hand and raised him up, "Come here Knave." She said softly. He looked at her and she brought him up, she leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips. She felt his breathing calm, his shaking disappeared, and he took a solid hold on her hand. His lips were warm and slightly wet, his smell filled her nostrils and she felt her stomach flip.

When she finally pulled away he stared at her with a wide eye and a slightly open mouth.

"You have three weeks to help me walk… if you can do this I will go with you to Marmoreal and tell the Queen that you are my savior."

"And if you can't walk by then?" The knave asked breathlessly.

"You will take me to Marmoreal and I will decide when I get there what to tell her and what to leave out."

The Knave shakily looked away from her and then took a deep breath, "As you wish my beautiful flower." He released her hand and slowly walked to the door.

"Where are you going?" Alice asked.

"I need to skin the animals and take from them what I can." With that he walked out the door shutting it behind him.

Alice sat there and then brought her fingers to her lips, she felt like she wanted to smile but her face stayed blank. What a curious sensation that was, what a wonderful and curious thing she was feeling. She would have to figure out what the cause was.

OOOOO

Mally stood frozen on the stairs as she watched this odd conversation grow even odder. She had been stunned as the Knave had fallen to his knees before her and quickly started to explain himself. But Mally's heart had stopped when Alice had kissed him so tenderly.

"Where are you going?" Alice asked.

"I need to skin the animals and take from them what I can." The Knave left her sitting there and Alice stared after him with a haunted gaze. Mally wasn't sure if she should go and report this to the White Queen or if she should confront Alice and make sure she is all right.

Mally quickly decided and jumped the final four steps, she raced across the floor and then climbed up onto the bed.

"Mally?" Alice asked looking upon the little white mouse.

"Alice, are you alright?"

"I am fine my small friend. How did you find me?"

"The Knave left a trail of blood from one of his hunting sprees and Bayard followed it. He hid you well he did, Bayard couldn't find you when he sniffed around the house. I was searching upstairs and left behind on purpose in hopes to find something out. The Bandersnatch is not far away, if we go out a back way we can get to him before the Knave knows." Mally was about to hop from the bed but Alice grabbed her tail and pulled her back.

"I am staying Mally." The little dormouse stared at her in shock, "What? Was that kiss truthful then? Do you care for that bloody red Knave?"

"The kiss was to prove my trust and nothing more. I want to stay so I can try to help him in his endeavor to rectify his past mistakes. If he truly is a new man he will keep his promise."

"The Knave was never and could never be a good man. He worked for the Red Queen, he killed many innocent people."

"No body knows that better then me. I have heard all the stories some from the Knave himself. He is regretful for his passed actions and he wants to make things right. He wants to help the White Queen with her kingdom. He wants to prove himself, and the only way to do that is through me."

"He is using your predicament for his own gain!" Mally yelled.

Alice shushed her with a finger, "Here is what I can do if you are so unsure. Return to the others like you planned. Tell them what is going on. But do NOT tell them how long this task may take. Tell them I wish to be left alone with the Knave so that I can try to help him see the error of his ways and that I have given him three weeks. I will allow you and only you to come to me once a week to see how everything is going and to see how far he has come. If you see anything suspicious you can go and inform the White Queen and her court to come and get me."

Mally stared at her a moment and then sighed, "Please Mally, everyone deserves a second chance. I think I can change him for the better."

The dormouse rubbed her eyes with her paw and then looked at Alice's desperate face. "Fine, each Monday for the next three weeks I will come and check late in the evening when the Knave is asleep. You must inform me of everything that has happened since my last visit. No tricks and if you feel like you are in danger you must tell me."

Alice nodded and raised the small dormouse up and kissed her gently on the head, "You are a wonder Mally."

"You just be careful girl. I don't fancy coming here next Monday to find your dead body." Alice nodded with a smile as the dormouse jumped from the bed and scurried across the room towards a window.

"Next Monday then… oh and Mally… no matter what you can't let Tarrent come out here. He could ruin everything if he shows up and tries to attack the Knave." Alice said watching as the mouse reached the mantel; she nodded and then jumped out the window.

OOOOOOOO

The Knave worked hard skinning and gutting the two animals. The Elkon's meat had gone bad since he had waited so long to harvest it but the coat, hooves, and antlers would be useful for weapons and other such things.

He took the meat and tossed it aside, some creature would come along and eat it in the night. By the time he had finished with the Tion cub he was sweaty, exhausted and the sun was about to set. He took the meat and carried it over to the box; he placed it inside and then shut the lid. He grabbed the furs and carried them around back. He stretched them out and tied them up on his wooden posts. The sun would dry them out tomorrow and then he could wash them and finish them off.

He took a small bag from inside the wooden box and filled it with the hooves, the teeth, and claws, and some of the thicker and stronger bones. Then he placed the bag next to the meat and headed for the inside of the house.

When he walked inside he noticed Alice was fast asleep on the bed. He stared at her a moment and then crossed to the table. On the far side was a wooden box; he opened it to see how much salt he had left.

"Just enough." He picked the box up and carried it outside. He opened the wooden box and poured the salt over the meat. He didn't have a way to keep the meet cool so the next best thing was to cover it with salt. The salt kept it good long enough for him to cook it and then hang it up. He left the bag of bits and pieces so Alice wouldn't have to smell it.

The sun was below the horizon and he knew she still needed to wash off. In all honesty the Knave was too tired to go all the way back to the pond. He walked inside and grabbed a gourd. He went back outside and washed his hands, chest, arms and legs and set the empty gourd by the door. He would fill it up in the morning after Alice's first lesson.

He entered the house and shut and locked the door, he turned to the bed to see her still form. Should he sleep upstairs? Probably. He headed for the stairs when he heard a low moan, "Ilosovic?" Alice called.

He sighed and turned crossing to her slowly, "Where are you going?" she asked.

"I thought I should sleep upstairs."

"Please don't. It's dark in here, I feel safer with you beside me." The Knave stared at her sleepy face a moment and then gave a kind smirk, "As you wish." He walked to the candle and blew it out and then walked back to Alice's side.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Lay down." She said trying to make room for him. He gently helped her move and he lay down.

She was back asleep in less then ten minutes and in that time she had moved to lay draped across his chest. Her hair was soft and smelled just as good as always. He very slowly wrapped his arm around her and she nuzzled into his side.

His heart sped up and he stared at her for a moment, her lips were so close. She had kissed him earlier to prove that she trusted him, to prove that she believed in him. Would she get mad if she knew how badly he wanted to kiss her? Would she feel safe with him if she knew how he wanted to claim her? To take her and make her his own? She was still so young and yet she was so grown up.

He recalled her when she had first came to Underland, such an innocent naïve little girl. A child, was she still a child? Were his feeling genuine or just perverse? He didn't know but perhaps he would find out.

_I found a reason for me to change who I used to be… a reason to start over new. And the reason is you. _The Knave kissed her forehead and tried his best to fall asleep.

OOOOO

"Mally, what news have you?" The White Queen asked.

"I know where Alice is." The dormouse said looking nervously at the group.

Everyone gasped and the Hatter smiled bigger then ever, "What a wonderful mouse you are Mally! Tell us where is our champion, where is out Alice."

Mally stared at the Hatter and then looked at the Tweedles, "You best hold him still."

They eyed her with suspicion but then took hold of the Hatter's hands in their own.

"Alice is indeed with the Knave."

"WHAT!" Everyone gasped in surprise.

"It's complicated but my Queen you must hear me out before you send guards to retrieve her."

The White Queen nodded her head and sat down slowly, this was going to be something that she felt she needed to sit down for.

OOOOOO

Alice woke up alone in the bed, the front door was open and she smelled something delicious roasting over the large candle in the fireplace. She sat up to find Ilosovic sitting at the table, "Ilosovic?" she asked. He turned to her and gave a small smile.

"Are you ready to work with your legs or would you rather eat first?" Alice looked at the large piece of meat that was hanging over the candle's large flame.

"I am not that hungry, let's work on my legs first." She said as she moved to the edge of the bed.

"Very well." He came and kneeled in front of her, "You don't have much muscle, didn't the doctor tell you to keep your muscle up while you were waiting for your legs to heal?"

Alice slowly shook her head and Ilosovic looked surprised, "No wonder you can't stand." He started at her feet, moving each toe individually and then gently rotated her ankles; she heard them crack and shivered a little. He then worked his way of her legs, gently massaging her calves and then moving her legs so her knees bent several times on each leg. Finally he glanced at her before gently raising her tunic up her thighs. She took in a little breath, "Do not fear. I will not go higher then needed." Ilosovic said giving her a soft smirk. Alice nodded as his hands started massaging her upper thighs.

"There are many muscles in the legs, a high protein diet will help you regain muscle. Your bones however need cream or milk… unfortunately I have none. We will focus on getting your muscle built up and then eventually when you return to Marmoreal hopefully the White Queen will have some form of cream or milk that you can drink."

Alice nodded again enjoying the massage, his hands were warm and strong and his eyes were steady and calm.

"Must we do this everyday?" Alice asked.

"Indeed we must my flower." Ilosovic said. Alice smiled and laughed, "Boring for you, fun for me." She said.

"Who says I find no pleasure in this?" he said looking up at her.

Alice blushed but did not respond, "Now, focus on your legs and tell me if you can feel this." He raised her leg and held her ankle with one hand; with the other he pushed the bottom of her foot back towards her shin.

Alice's eyes widened, she did, it was faint but she felt it. "I can a little… it's a very dull and soft pain."

"Good, your legs are waking up… they are starting to remember their job."

He did the same thing to the other leg and then picked her up under her arms, "Focus on your legs." He said not needing to explain further. She remembered from the last time. She focused as hard as she could, and Ilosovic started to hum that same eerie tune as last time.

She focused and before she could follow her leg shot out and kicked Ilosovic in the stomach. He dropped her in surprise and she landed on her feet. She stood there on her own for well over ten seconds before she finally crumbled, only this time her knees bent and she landed painlessly on her backside.

"THAT WAS WONDEROUS!" Alice yelled.

Ilosovic lay on the floor holding his stomach as he tried to gain back the breath she had kicked out of him. "Again Ilosovic! Please again?"

The man gave her a glare and she fall silent mouthing words of apology before trying again to stand on her own.

**A/N: Poor Stayne getting kicked in the stomach, at least she had some movement right? Okay next chapter will be up soon**


	7. Chapter 7

**The Quote you will read via the Hatter's mouth is that of Ronald Reagan. **

**Chapter 7**

**Intimate Attraction **

One week had passed and Alice was blossoming, her legs had grown stronger and her confidence had increased. Along with Alice's progress the Knave's temper had almost completely disappeared, his sarcasm was becoming less and less frequent and his focus on helping Alice had increased ten fold.

They ate their meals at the table and Alice would tell him stories of China and her adventures with the apprenticeship. She would leave out all the wonderful things that her and William did together and replaced them with all the strange sites and foods and buildings and colors and the people.

Ilosovic told her stories of his childhood before his mother's death, her favorite was his story of the first time he rode a horse. He had lost control and been flung into a mud hole. His father had had to pull him out of the sticky goop using an old tree branch.

Alice had laughed for a good few minutes before she managed to calm down, "I've never rode a horse before. I've only ever rode a Bandersnatch, and the occasional bicycle."

"We shall have to correct that." The Knave had said as he ate some more of the meat and vegetables on his plate.

"Do you think you could teach me how to use a sword?" Alice asked.

"Pardon?" The Knave asked with a confused tone.

"Well, I would rather enjoy actually knowing how to use a sword."

"You did very well against the Jabberwocky. What makes you think you need practice?"

"Well the Vorpal sword knew what it wanted, it's target was the Jabberwocky, it did everything, all I did was hold on for dear life and run when I needed to. I honestly have never had a fencing lesson in my life and I feel like I would be more of a champion if I knew how to wield a sword on my own."

Ilosovic smiled and nodded, "I would be more then happy to be your instructor when you return to Marmoreal… that is if the White Queen will have me. I was born to wield a sword, when I was eight my father put a sword in my hands and said if I didn't knock him down I wouldn't get dinner."

"That seems cruel." Alice said looking at him with sad eyes.

"On the contrary, the instant I felt the metal of the hilt in my hand I felt empowered, strong, I felt safe. I was the master of this sharp and dangerous object that could, in an instant, take a life, and in another save someone from death."

"I never thought of a sword as something that could protect. I have always viewed it as a weapon of death."

"That is where the common misconception comes from. It depends how the one wielding the sword wishes to use the weapon. I obviously took the wrong path, but none the less, the sword never let me down. You on the other hand picked up the sword to save others. In doing so you did kill a beast, but think of the hundreds of thousands you saved."

"So the sword can never be used souly as an object of protection? It always has to kill someone?"

"The sword is a weapon first and for most. It will do its master's bidding. But if you never strike someone down with it then it will not serve it's true purpose. The argument rests in the area of defense. The sword can parry any attack that it receives from another sword, and even other large or smaller weapons, this does include arrows. But the sword can only do that, deflect, if you do not attack with it eventually you will fall to the one attacking you because they are the stronger in battle. They are not afraid to take a life. They are not afraid to consider their life more important then the one attacking them."

"Every life is just as important as the next, no one should kill simply to kill. Killing in defense of your own life is putting someone into a situation that no one ever should be put in."

"Yes and no…"

"What do you mean?"

"It's a discussion for another time… now we must start working on your legs."

The Knave stood and collected the now empty dishes; he took them and set them over by the large soup pot. He then went upstairs and Alice heard noises come from over her head. Eventually Ilosovic returned holding two large wooden buckets full of books and small rocks.

He set them aside and then turned to Alice, "Can you get to the bed on your own?" he asked.

Alice slowly stood from the chair and with awkwardly bent knees she shakily took a step, her legs gave out and the Knave caught her, "One step is better then none flower, don't look so down." She nodded and he helped her to sit on the bed.

He then took two chairs and put their backs shoulder width apart. He then put the large wooden buckets filled with weight on the seats. He crossed to Alice and picked her up, he brought her to the chairs and set her down, she took hold and stood there looking confused. The Knave got up onto the table and motioned for her to cross to him, she took a step before she fell but that was all he needed. He took her up under the arms and saved her from crumpling like a rag doll. Then he raised her and Alice placed a foot on the back of each chair.

"Now, balance yourself, lock your knees till I say otherwise." The Knave left her standing shakily on the backs of the chairs and Alice looked down upon him, this was the first time she was able to look down on him since she had been overly large.

The Knave grabbed the large soup pot from the fireplace and crossed to Alice.

"This is a dangerous exercise but it is necessary, I want you to lift this pot up as many times as you can, lift using your legs not your back. I will be behind you should you fall. Keep your knees bent when you start and when you lift the pot make sure you don't lock your knees."

Alice stared at him with a horrified expression, "You did this when your legs had forgotten?"

"Not at all, but I had all the time in the world to get them to work… you gave me three weeks. Now lift."

Alice shakily took the pot by its handle and bent down allowing the pot to dangle about three feet above the floor.

"Stand slowly but focus on your legs, the feeling of the muscles working, the way your bones bend. You are the master of your legs, make them wake up and remember how to work for you."

Alice very slowly started to stand and straighten her legs, she thought they were going to buckle but the Knave seemed to sense this and spoke with encouragement, "Don't allow your legs to tell you what they are going to do. Tell them what you want them to do. Focus on them and make them work for you."

Alice ignored the pain of lifting such a heavy pot using such weak muscles, he pushed passed her desire to drop the object and go back to bed. She gave a loud grunt and managed to stand up straight.

"Another." The Knave said, he reached his hand up around her and patted her thigh in approval.

She nodded but already felt the sweat forming on her head. She could do another; she went through the motions and found that she was done with it before she even knew she did it.

"Give me another." The Knave said.

"I am getting tired." Alice said.

"You've only done two I expected at least five out of someone like you champion. Push yourself." The Knave bit.

Alice bent down again, slower this time, her legs were shaking horribly and the sweat was starting to get worse. "I can't stand up!" Alice said sounding strained.

"You can do it, you just have to focus."

"It hurts!" Alice protested.

"Anything worth fighting for is going to hurt at some point. Prove to me and to yourself that you deserve to walk again."

Alice raised herself but couldn't help, she let out a bitter cry, and "I can't do anymore."

"You have one left, I won't allow you down until you do your last one."

"Ilosovic please let me come down, my legs feel like pudding."

"One more champion." He said grabbing hold of her waist and steadying her.

"I can't!"

"You will or you won't come down!" The Knave yelled back at her.

Alice bent her legs reluctantly and felt like at any moment she may pass out, "Move your ars, faster!" The Knave yelled at her and Alice felt the tears filling her eyes. Not from what he said, she'd had worse yelled at her, but because the pain was almost unbearable, she was breathing heavy all she had to do was stand up and she would be done.

She forced herself and her legs to support her, to have the strength to keep going, she forced herself to focus on her own inner strength and before she knew it she was standing up and the Knave took the pot from her aching hands.

He took her down and carried her to the front door, "Where are we going?" she asked as a few small tears ran down her cheeks.

"We need to keep your legs moving." Was all he said, he took her outside and set her down on the top step. She looked up at him as he released her; she surprised herself when she was able to stand there with out shaking. The Knave reached down and straightened her knees so they weren't askew.

"Walk down the stairs." He said.

Alice looked at him but said nothing and then back at the stairs, she focused on her legs and took a step. She felt the wood beneath her feet; she felt the individual pieces of sand move against her skin.

She released a breath she didn't realize she was holding, she took another step and her legs almost gave out, she felt the Knave grip her lightly on the waist, he offered no physical support.

"Don't let me fall." Alice requested softly.

"I would never allow you to give up Alice, but I won't catch you if you stumble. One must get up on their own when they fall, that is where strength and confidence comes from. Accept the fact that you may fall and you will notice the fear goes away."

Alice in that instant did what he said, she realized that she may fall, that she may get hurt, but she knew that even if she did fall and get hurt she would try to get back up. She would get back up and try again until her legs worked fully on their own, she would do it until she could run again, and ride a horse, and skip and climb.

She held her head high and forced her legs to support her, she moved down the steps gracefully and with out any troubles. She reached the bottom and tuned around slowly, "I did it."

"Very good my flower."

And just like that her legs gave out and she was on the ground, however, the smile on her face showed she didn't care.

OOOOOOO

"Mally, you shall return tonight then and check upon our champion and make sure that all is as it should be?" The White Queen asked giving her a cautious eye.

"I shall my queen, I will return with in the hour to inform all who wish to know."

The small dormouse headed towards the Bandersnatch who reluctantly stood to it's feet and headed out the door.

The Hatter sat next to the throne, his hands rested atop the hilt of a gleaming blade of which the point of stuck in the marble of the stairs he rested upon.

He stared at his reflection in the blade, yellow eyes gleaming in the brightness of the room.

"Tarrant, perhaps you should not dwell on the news so whole heartedly. It is good news after all; soon we could have a new ally. Soon those that might stand against us will have another as strong with the sword as yourself, from this we can only prosper. Alice is in no immediate danger… we should give him a chance to prove his worth."

"I know in meh heart that man is good. That what is right will always eventually triumph. And there's purpose and worth to each and every life." The Hatter said in a dazed and bitter tone, he turned to look at her, "But not 'is… he was despicable before he worked for the Red Queen and he is despicable after. He has killed relentlessly, why give 'im a chance to betray us. He was so ready to kill the Red Queen who he had been loyal to for years."

"Iracebeth had the ability to eat away at a person's soul. What ever his life was before he became a Knave it was only pushed further under my sister's cruel reign."

"I will no' forgive that man, he deserves nothin' from meh. He doesn't deserve pity or redemption. He doesn't deserve to live."

Mirana slowly backed away from the orange haired man but kept a watchful eye on him. He was very angry; the news that Mally had delivered had sent him into a rage. He had nearly town apart the throne room in an attempt to get out the door. Luckily there were enough people around to subdue him. Ever since he had been perched on the steps next to the throne waiting with his long sword rambling and muttering about man and humanities worth.

"This will not end well." Mirana said not sure how she was going to contain this.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

"What is that song you always hum when you sing to my legs?" Alice asked as she lay in the dark next to the Knave.

He was silent a moment and then said, "It was a song my mother used to sing to me, eerie as it sounds I found comfort in it when ever I had a bad dream or when ever she was away for long amounts of time trying to find her herbs."

"Will you sing it to me? I would very much like to hear the words." Alice said.

"I am not much of a singer… in fact my father belted me once because he said I sang so poorly."

"I will never belt you for singing poorly… I am no great singer myself but I still in joy hearing it. Please Ilosovic?"

How could he resist her? He sighed and then cleared his throat; before he knew it he was singing his bedtime song.

"_Sway to and fro in the twilight gray,  
>This is the ferry for Shadowtown;<br>It always sails at the end of day,  
>Just as the darkness is closing down.<br>Rest, little head, on my shoulder, so;  
>A sleepy kiss is the only fare,<br>Drifting away from the world we go,  
>Baby and I in the rocking chair,<br>See where the firelogs glow and spark  
>Glitter the lights of the shadowland;<br>The winter rain in the window, hark!  
>Are ripples lapping upon its strand.<br>There! where the mirror is glancing dim,  
>A lake lies shimmering cool and still,<br>Blossoms are waving above its brim,  
>Those over there on the windowsill,<br>Rock slow, more slow in the dusky light,  
>Silently lower the anchor down!<br>Dear little passenger, say "Good night" -  
>We've reach'd the harbor of Shadowtown.<em>

"It has a haunting melody." Alice said in a soft voice.

"It does, many have said so, but I find comfort in it. My mother actually sang that song to my legs when she was helping me mend them." Stayne said softly.

"It's a wonderful song."

"Do you know any?" The Knave asked.

"I know one… my father helped me write it." Alice said.

"Would you sing it for me?" The Knave asked.

"Its rather boring." Alice replied.

"I'd love to hear it, please?" The Knave asked.

"Very well."

"_Cats and rabbits  
>Would reside in fancy little houses<br>And be dressed in shoes and hats and trousers  
>In a world of my own<br>All the flowers  
>Would have very extra special powers<br>They would sit and talk to me for hours  
>When I'm lonely in a world of my own<br>There'd be new birds  
>Lots of nice and friendly howdy-do birds<br>Everyone would have a dozen bluebirds  
>Within that world of my own<br>I could listen to a babbling brook  
>And hear a song that only I could understand<br>I keep wishing it could be that way  
>Because my world would be a Wonderland."<em>

Ilosovic lay there next to her and smiled, "Wonderland, sounds like a place I know."

"When I came to Underland for the first time I didn't really understand very much, only that it was wonderful. When I left I suffered from nightmares and dreams. My father told me one of the best ways to get the nightmares and dreams out of my mind was to write about them. So with his help I wrote a song."

__"It's a wonderful song." The Knave said.

"I missed this place so much after I came back the second time."

"Why would you miss a place so filled with madness."

"My world is not like yours Ilosovic. My world can be very cold, and cruel."

"I doubt it could be worse then Underland."

Alice sighed, "Imagine a place that is always gray, always cold and rainy. Imagine a place were no one is friendly and everyone likes to talk about you and gossip behind your back. There are three levels of people, royal, well off, and poor. There are rules, rules that if you break can end you in the loony bin. A place they put people to torture and forget about them. Everything has to do with etiquette and the only love you have is from your family and even then sometimes…" Alice paused a moment and thought of her mother, "Sometimes it's only out of duty that they love you.

If I hadn't had my father waiting for me back home, I doubt I would have gone back at all the first time I came. It's no fun, there is no adventure, and there is no freedom. You do what you are told… or you get locked up."

The Knave glanced at her, "Where you ever locked up?"

"My mother wanted me to go to one of the hospitals, but my father just told her I had an active imagination. She countered with saying it was over active. They fought a lot about how to raise me; I refused to ware a corset and stockings once… she said I was being improper and acting like a harlot. My father was the one person as crazy as I was, together we were a pair, no one could control us, when he died I ached to go with him, but knew that I never could. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss him. His philosophy of six impossible things before breakfast has kept me going, it has given me a way to remember him and who he was."

"This London of yours sounds dreadful." The Knave said.

"Perhaps it isn't as bad as I am making it seem but growing up there wasn't much fun."

"Someday I will go with you to London and I will decide for myself if it is good or bad."

"I'd like that…you could meet my sister,"

"Is she as pretty as you?" The Knave asked.

"I wouldn't know." Alice said.

The Knave said nothing else and eventually he fell into sleep, Alice waited up knowing she was to be expecting a visitor.

When she heard the faintest sound of someone tapping on glass she very slowly rose from the bed and brought her legs over the edge. She stood on wobbly legs and very slowly made her way to the front door. She couldn't help but smile; Ilosovic had worked wonders on her.

She had never imagined she would be able to stand let alone walk again in her whole life. Once or twice she thought she might fall but she made it to the door and opened it with out making to much noise. She walked out and waited, "Mally!" She whispered, the dormouse came running around the side of the house and jumped into her palm, Alice raised her up and spoke softly.

"What news from the White Queen?"

"She agrees with your plan and thinks it is a wonderful idea. The Hatter was not as pleased, he just about took everyone's head off he did."

"Oh dear, poor Hatter. Has he calmed down at all?"

"Not a bit, he sits waiting with his sword to duel Ilosovic when he arrives with you. They have past aggressions with each other."

"I've been made aware of their past with each other and know that the Hatter will have much trouble making amends. They may never fully agree."

"How are your legs coming, I see you are standing, you walked to the door on your own."

"Indeed I did. The Knave has been a wonderful instructor and he promised to teach me how to ride a horse and use a sword."

"You know how to use a sword, look at what you did to the Jabberwocky."

"The Vorpal sword had a mind of it's own. I want to be in control next time."

"Sounds about right. Well you have two weeks left, do you think he can get you walking proper by then?"

"If he keeps up wit the heavy lifting I think I shall run to Marmoreal." Alice said with a smile.

"Joy of joys and wonders of wonders, if the bloody red knave can help you walk who knows what may happen next. It seems to me that when ever you show up stranger and stranger things happen."

"I am a strange girl." Alice said setting Mally down, "Next Monday then?"

"Indeed." Alice said waving as the dormouse ran off.

Alice very slowly returned to the inside of the house, "Alice? Where have you gone?" she heard the Knave call.

"I am here Ilosovic, I needed to step out for a moment, look, I made it to the door on my own." Alice said leaning against her hand in the doorway to rest."

"Very well done… now make it to the bed."

Alice smiled and very slowly once again crossed to the bed, she lay down next to him and he patted her thigh, "You are a wonderful girl."

"And you are a wonderful Knave."

**A/N: Just so you know those songs were obviously not made up by me, I wish I could write songs but I've never had the knack. Sad day for me today when I tried to draw a scene from my story to post on the deviant art account only to remember that oh yeah, I suck at drawing people. Sad sad day. **


	8. Bad Dreams

**A/N: So I've decided to bring the Red Queen back into the picture but NOT NOT NOT as the main bad guy. I am not sure I will even have a main bad guy. The Red Queen is just being brought in to this story line in an attempt to add something new and exciting to a plot that seems to be slowing down and reaching repetitive circular plays. So not sure if she will jump in this chapter or next but read and find out.**

**BTW THIS CHAPTER HOLDS A LEMON! Enjoy! **

**Chapter 8 **

**Bad Dreams**

"_Ilosovic Stayne is it?" The large headed woman asked. _

"_Yes your majesty." _

"_You've been busy. I've heard you've quite successfully managed to stir up much trouble during these unruly times of chaos and madness." _

"_I've done nothing but defended my village against your cards, they seem to like to burn everything they march passed… your highness." _

_The women eyed him up and down and he felt his skin shiver. He didn't like the way she was looking at him, "Tell me Stayne… are you any good with a sword?" _

"_Yes your majesty." _

_The woman nodded at a red card, which in turn threw a large sword into the boy's hands, it was to big for him, he was only 18, he wasn't ready for a sword this big. _

"_If you are so good amuse me with a little display of your abilities. ATTACK!" The large headed woman screamed and the same red card that had thrown him the sword rushed forward with his own sword. Ilosovic had no choice, he raised his sword and a loud clang filled the room. _

_Ilosovic managed to block every blow despite the fact that his heart wasn't in it. He loved the sword but this was not what he had been trained for. He was not meant to be used for amusement. He was done with this game, he kicked the card that was attacking him back and he went flying into another card who flew into another card and so on and so fourth till they filed all the way around the room and back to the door. _

_Ilosovic turned to the queen with an angry face and started to advance on her with the large sword dragging behind him on the floor. _

"_Very well done… you are worthy." The boy stopped and stared at her in question, "Ilosovic Stayne… you have been selected to be my personal guard, assassin and Knave." _

_The young man stared at her and the sword slipped from his hand, the queen motioned for him to come forward, his body felt numb but somehow his legs moved him towards the queen. _

_She took a sharp hold of his shirt, "If you serve me well you will be rewarded with power, with a status, everyone will respect you and fear you. I can get you anything you want Ilosovic… just don't betray me or you will lose your head. Do you understand?" _

_Her eyes stared at him like daggers and he feared for his life, what choice did he have? It was either a yes or a dead end. _

"_Yes… my queen." He said slowly kneeling. _

"_Good boy. Leave us!" she cried to the many standing in the throne room. She looked down at him and smiled and he tried his hardest to smile back. _

Alice watched as the Knave twisted and turned in bed like a lunatic, she tried to wake him but he threw his arms around and she pulled back in fear of being hit. She had to wake him somehow.

_Ilosovic saw himself kneeling before the Red Queen, he was five and twenty years old and he had grown a lot in the last six years. "STAYNE!" The man looked up at her red face, "You've failed me… I wanted Mirana dead! I wanted her out of the picture! I didn't want to have to look at her perfectly proportioned head anymore!" _

"_I am sorry my majesty… there were complications…a hatter managed to get her away before the Jabberwocky could strike her down." _

"_The Hightop Clan has been standing in our way for to long! I want them ended." _

"_You can rest assured that the Hightop Clan is dead. If any did get away they won't escape the cards. The Jabberwocky surely destroyed everything in its path including the village. And for you majesty I have brought gifts. Spoils of war." _

_The red Queen eyed him as he pulled from his cape the vorpal sword, the queen gasped and rushed to him taking the sword in excitement. _

"_The vorpal sword is mine!" she screamed. _

"_And this majesty." The Knave pulled from his cape the crown that had fallen from Mirana's head. _

"_Your brought me her crown?" _

"_It suits you better my queen." Ilosovic said feeling his stomach hitch do to the fact that he had to lie through his teeth so much. _

"_You are wonderful my knave." The Red Queen crossed and gently ran her fingers down his jaw, the first time he had been touched in years. It sent a shiver down his skin and he looked at her in surprise. _

"_You've done well… rest now my brave Knave. Tomorrow you shall start your search for the last of the Hightop Clan." _

_Ilosovic stood and bowed, as he left he felt his jaw where she so tenderly touched him, no one ever touched him. And she, being a queen, had done so. The Knave felt something inside of him snap, perhaps working for her wasn't so bad. If he could win her over fully, gain her trust, become more then just her personal assassin but perhaps her advisor… he could gain more leverage." _

Alice watched as the Knave settled down for a moment, his breathing relaxing and his fingers twitched just slightly.

"_STAYNE!" Came the cry of his name, he was so used to it now he didn't even flinch. _

"_My majesty?" he asked kneeling, he was thrown off guard when a fist slashed across the side of his head and he went flying. _

_His large eye stared up at her as he put his hand to his head, "You have gone to far… I've heard that you've betrayed me. You were caught trying to seduce Um!" _

_The Knave had been serving under the Queen longer then he could remember, longer then he could count. She had screamed at him, smacked him, kicked him, and verbally abused him for years and years. But never had he ever seen her so mad. Could she possibly be jealous because of love? Or was it just her nature to want what ever she did not have, his affection included. He had to lie once again, after all these years he was good at it by now. _

"_Um forced herself upon me your majesty… I tried to stop her… but she is obsessed with me!" The Knave said, her watched in horror as her face took on the same red hue of her roses. _

"_OFF WITH HER HEAD!" _

"NO!" Ilosovic screamed sitting up in bed, he looked next to him and saw Alice sprawled on the floor. He rushed to her and gently helped her to sit up, his jaw dropped as he saw the large bruise above her eye, a small trickle of blood ran down the side of her face.

"Alice, I am sorry, I am so sorry!" The Knave cried reaching for her, she tried to speak but seemed anxious, "I-I'm fine. Really Ilosovic I am fine… what were you dreaming of that was so terrible?"

"The Red Queen." The Knave said lifting her from the dirty floor to set her on one of the chairs by the table.

"That isn't a dream, that is a nightmare." Alice said gently feeling around the bruised area. "Please let me." The Knave said rushing to get a gourd and a rag.

"What happened? Did the Red Queen try to cut off your head?" Alice asked trying to make light of the conversation. She tried to distract from the fact that the Knave had smashed the heel of his hand against her eyebrow.

"It was more then just that, it was my memories. I seldom ever have good dreams. Its like that bloody woman ruled my life, even now… when I was sure I had escaped her. She comes to me in my sleep and makes me hurt you, makes me feel things I haven't felt in years."

"It can't be that bad Ilosovic. Surely she has not that strong a grasp over you."

"You don't understand, how could you, you didn't spend close to ten years of your life doing what ever she asked. Fearing for your life around every corner. Even when I felt like I was immune to her temper and aggressions she still found a way to blame me!"

Alice stared at his twisted face, she jumped about a foot when he stood and screamed shoving the contents of the table onto the floor and then kicking a box. It flew across the space and shattered when it hit the wall.

"SHE RUINED MY LIFE!" Ilosovic screamed flipping the table over, so far he had not touched Alice but she was growing more and more nervous with each passing moment.

"She smacked me over four times because you do you realize that? For letting you escape the castle, for letting you supposedly seduce me. She nearly cut of something worse then my head for that one. You caused me just as much trouble as she did and I can't do anything about it!"

The Knave kicked the soup pot, which hung over the candle, it fell and it's contents (last nights dinner of Hazelnut soup) spilled all over the floor.

"I DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO BE HER KNAVE!" The man screamed grabbing at his head and thrashing about. Alice stood on shaky legs and tried to reach out to him, "Ilosovic." She called softly, he stopped a moment and then slowly his head turned to look at her.

Alice knew that look in his eye, he had seen it once before. She slowly and awkwardly backed up and he advanced on her little by little, his eye was narrowed, the aggression in it made her want to run. She was still to weak to move quickly but she felt like she needed to run, she turned and grabbed the door handle.

Suddenly his large body slammed against hers and she was pressed into the door, he grabbed her forehead with his hand and yanked it back exposing her neck.

"You don't know the hell I've seen girl… you don't know anything about madness. Surely you feared the Hatter when he would fall into his spells… you've not feared anything yet."

He grabbed her by the hair and yanked her back, one arm wrapped around her waist and she knew she was in trouble. He dragged her back and then threw her on the bed. She looked up at him with fear in her eyes, but she would not give in, "You are not a monster! You are not as mad as she has made you feel!"

Ilosovic bent down and took a fist full of her hair, she cried out in pain, "I KNOW HOW I FEEL! I FEEL LIKE THERE IS A FIRE IN MY BRAIN! DON'T TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! YOU DON'T KNOW!"

He looked at her tightening his fist for a moment and then his hand relaxed, she looked up at him with her big brown eyes and she saw his face soften slightly. He leaned in and she tried to keep herself from moving, she tried to hold her ground.

When his lips met hers she caved and wrapped her arms around his neck, he lay down next to her and pulled her forcefully towards him. She was pressed between him and the wall and she felt his hand exploring her body. He reached down and took a handful of her backside. She squirmed in an attempt to move away which only made him hold her tighter.

"Mine Alice…" he whispered into her ear when he pulled his lips away, "I want you to be mine… my little Alice."

"Please don't…" she said trying to squeeze her weak legs shut, his hand forced them apart and she started to cry, "Ilosovic… Ilosovic please." She begged. His hand stopped only inches away from its target and the man pulled back, he looked at her face and suddenly he disengaged. He sat up and bolted from the bed heading for the door.

"Wait don't go!" Alice called.

The Knave swung around, "Don't contradict yourself young Alice… if I stay you will be mine, if I go then at least I can say I did something noble for once." He opened the door and walked through it slamming it shut behind him.

Alice lay on the bed with tears in her eyes. That had been close, really close. But would it have been so bad to let the man have his way? To let him expel the madness that threatened to take him up.

Alice stood from the bed and managed to hobble over to the door, she opened it to see the Knave striding off into the dark. Would he be back? Was he just going to leave her there? What was he thinking? She had to go after him.

Alice looked around the house and saw what she needed she headed for them on hobbling legs and started to look for the rope that had been used to tie her up.

OOOOOOO

Ilosovic sat in the gloom of the woods and stared out over the pond, the reflection of the water shimmer from the moon light and cast odd light across his face. He said on the edge of the rocks that hung out over the water and he wondered what his reflection was thinking.

"Ilosovic." The man stood and looked around, the voice had been but a whisper, he had heard that whisper before.

"Ilosovic… over here my handsome Knave." The man flung himself around and caught a slight movement out of the corner of his eye; a dark figure emerged from behind the plants.

"Iracebeth…" he said in shock.

"My handsome Knave, I've been look for you… it's been a while since I have seen that striking face." Ilosovic started to slowly back up, this couldn't be happening. This wasn't real; she was an illusion because of his madness. She wasn't real.

"Come here my Knave." It was just like the dream; Ilosovic was so shocked his legs moved on their own, even when he mentally ordered them to stop.

Her dress was in shreds, her hands dirty, her makeup almost completely gone; the only thing left was her pale and boney face. Her hair had lost its curl and hung like a matted towel on her head. She looked like death, why couldn't he turn and run away? Why was he bound to her so?

He felt her boney fingers take hold of his face and she pulled him close and planted a cold and awful kiss on his own. She smelled appalling.

"My wonderful Knave." She said patting his head, stroking his hair. He closed his eye and tried to pretend he enjoyed this, he didn't want to make her mad.

He was taken by surprise when she shoved him, he wasn't ready for the sudden movement and he went down. His head struck a rock next to the water and he lay there dazed. She started to kick him over and over, "YOU LEFT ME TO DIE! YOU TRIED TO KILL ME! I WILL TAKE OFF YOUR HEAD!"

He managed to roll away and despite his dizziness he stood and stared her down, "How did you find me!" He screamed.

The large headed woman stared at him with evil eyes, "I will always find you Stayne… just like you will always find me. You are my Knave!" She screamed.

"No! Not anymore, I don't belong to you, you don't own me. I can make my own choices and I am not yours to take."

"Don't play like I am the one to blame. You agreed to work for me… you agreed to be my Knave."

"I had no choice! You would have taken off my head! You would have destroyed my village."

"You act like that mattered. If only you could have seen your eyes when I promised you power… when I told you that the world would be at your fingers. Your eyes sparkled like diamonds… you wanted everything that I offered."

"I was an orphan… anything would sound good at that point."

"You loved me." She said glaring at him.

"I loved the idea of you…. The idea that I could be powerful, rich, have anything and anyone I wanted. But I didn't know that when you said I could have anything and anyone you really meant I could only have you!"

"You were my Knave! You loyalty was meant for me and only me!"

"I gave you my loyalty but I never gave you my heart… or my mind."

"Ilosovic?" Iracebeth's head jerked to look over near the far side of the pond, "You have Alice?" she asked watching as the girl appeared.

"Don't even look at her." He said moving back.

"How did you get her… why is she using those sticks to walk?" Ilosovic saw the realization start to sink in, "She is lame? The champion is lame?"

"Don't even think about it." He said moving to stand in from of Alice.

"Oh champion, look what I found!" Alice's head turned to see Iracebeth standing near the Knave who looked positively awe struck.

"Iracebtha?" Alice asked.

"Don't you dare call me by my name! You filth, you have no right to speak my true name!"

"And you have no right to be here." Alice said softly starting to make her way around the pond. As she grew closer Ilosovic saw the sweat on her brow, he saw how badly she shook, her face was pale. She had exhausted herself chasing after him.

Ilosovic approached her but he was pulled back by a grubby white hand, "Don't go! Ilosovic, the true reason I have come to find you is because I have found a way to regain my crown." The woman whispered in a hurried voice.

He looked at her in surprise, his attention had suddenly perked up, "Imagine, we could be in power again. You and I like always. I've found a group of wolves, they are capable but crude, and they are loyal to me still even after my fall. They offered to help me take back my kingdom if I allow them to relocate to Marmoreal. I just need you my handsome Knave to train them in combat. You alone can give them the strength they need to take down my sister's forces."

Alice was still a good way off when Iracebeth had finished talking and he stared at her like she had just grown a third head. She was offering him a chance to return to his old life. He could kill and torture and hurt as many people as he wanted… all he had to do was help this large headed woman raise an army.

But would he rather be with Alice or be with her? He knew that with Alice the pleasure he took in hurting others would never be allowed again… but with Iracebeth he would be doomed to service a woman he didn't love and couldn't stand.

"Ilosovic…" Alice called, as she grew ever closer, he had to admire her; she had made it so far with out any help. The sticks she had used were an old walking stick and a broom handle and she had taken two U shaped sticks and tied them to the top, they were like crutches but not.

"Alice… I am sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to hurt you." He said approaching the girl. To his surprise Iracebeth stayed quiet as he talked, "It's alright, I understand, I've had nightmares too. What is she doing here?" Alice asked glancing at the woman standing behind them with her arms crossed.

Ilosovic pulled Alice away and took a deep breath, "She had returned in hopes I will join her on a quest of sorts."

Alice stared at him with her his brown eyes and he felt like he wanted to melt, "You aren't going are you?"

He stared at her a moment and then sighed, "I don't know my flower. Part of me wants to because she is promising me much power… but another part of me wants to be loyal to you." He said taking her hand.

Alice glanced at the old red queen who looked like she had been close to death's door one to many times. "Please don't do this… you are so close to being rewarded Ilosovic… you are so close to clearing your name and becoming a good man."

Ilosovic couldn't help but gaze into her eyes and in that moment he knew what he wanted to do, he turned to Iracebeth and gritted his teeth, "Be gone devil woman, I shall never serve you or your army again. I am loyal to the white queen."

Iracebeth's jaw dropped, she stared at him in disbelief, and "You dare betray me? You dare turn your back on the woman who created you?"

"You created me indeed bloody big head, but you don't control me anymore. Now be gone! I never want to see you again."

"I was hoping we could do this in a modest way, I was hoping there was no more hurt left between us Stayne but apparently you leave me no choice. I've forced you into things before, I have no problem doing it again."

"You will never have my loyalty." With that he turned and picked Alice up and then carried her off into the woods.

"We shall see Stayne… we shall see what you will be willing to do when pretty little Alice is face down in the dirt." Iracebeth turned and left in the opposite direction.

OOOOOOO

Alice smiled up at him as he lay her down on the bed, "You must be exhausted." He said looking at her back her legs and arms were shaking, "It was worth it, you chose me… you chose us. All my ally's are now yours, our cause is your cause and your cause is ours. You are now a good man." She said taking hold of his hand.

He sat down next to her on the bed, "I don't know if I can stay this way, I was so tempted when she offered me the position I wasn't sure I could decline. But you came and saved me from falling back into my old ways."

"You saved me from giving up on myself. You helped me to walk again."

"Yes well tomorrow you will have to rest all day since you managed to walk three miles in a very short time using two sticks. I was quit impressed."

She blushed and smiled and then looked up at him, "Kiss me." She said softly, Ilosovic looked at her and then slowly leaned in. When their lips met sparks flew, it was hot and passionate and Alice found herself growing excited as he lay her back on the bed. Her hair fanned out and her trembling body only made him more excited.

"I want to make you mine." He whispered into her ear as his hand traveled up her leg.

"Then do it." She said softly, he pulled back and looked at her, her cheeks were red, her lips plump from the kiss, her chest was rising up and down slowly. Her whole body glowed with youthful desire.

"Once it is done it can not be taken back Alice." He said looking away knowing she would change her mind any moment.

"If I was ever so sure of who I would want to do this with, I know it would be you."

"Not the Hatter?" He asked eyeing her carefully.

"I love the Hatter Ilosovic, he has a dear dear friend… but both he and I know he has given to far into his madness for us to ever have a life together. He now sees himself more as my protector. And I am his missing sanity."

Ilosovic leaned in and kissed her again, her hands rubbed up his chest and he gasped at the feel of her skin on his.

His hands lifted up the tunic she was wearing to reveal her body, it was pink and soft and warm and he wanted it all. He removed his shirt and then stood from the bed in a attempt to removed his pants, "Let me." Alice said moving forward.

Her hands shook as she did so and Ilosovic smirked, _a virgin indeed she is scared beyond measure. _

He gently ran his hands through her hair as she worked to get his pants and boots off. When he stood before her fully naked she stared at his whole body, he was a large man with clothes on, with out clothes in he seemed even bigger. It was odd that he was so large but wasn't that what she liked so much about Underland. Nothing was normal and she fit right in.

Ilosovic moved into the bed and lay down next to her, "Are you sure Alice?" He asked, she leaned in and kissed him and them pulled the blankets up over them.

"Make me yours Ilosovic." She said softly.

He took her face in his hand and kissed her again, and then gently moved his large body onto hers. He didn't want to crush her because she was so small. He wished he had some Umpuckerchim.

At least that way she would be the proper size for his body, then again at this point as long as he went slowly she should be okay.

"This may hurt." He said to her softly, she nodded and tried to keep relaxed. He didn't push in right away, he kissed her all over first, her shoulders and neck and lips and jaw line. He worked her body with his hands, rubbing and massaging and feeling, he wanted to know all of her sweet spots, all the places that drove her wild.

"Please Ilosovic… take me!" she begged. That drove him wild and he felt something more primal trying to take over.

"Once I claim you you can never be with anyone but me… there is no going back. Wonderland rules forbid it." He whispered in her ear, his breaths were heavy and he wanted so bad to slide in her.

"I understand."

"Do you love me Alice?" The Knave suddenly asked digging his fingernails into her thighs as he pulled her legs apart.

She gasped as the sudden jerk and then nodded quickly, "No no flower, say it. Say you love me or I will get up and leave right now."

"I-" she started.

"Only if you truly mean it." Ilosovic said.

"I do, I love you Ilosovic Stayne."

He needed no further prompting; he moved his hips forward and felt his swollen head breach her for the first time. She gasped and he moaned as he slowly slid in inch by inch.

"It hurts." She whispered.

"Only for a moment my love." He kissed her forehead and she buried her face into his dark locks of hair.

He kept pushing until he felt something snap he then pushed even further.

"Oh God it hurts." Alice cried softly into his neck.

"It's almost over my beautiful flower."

He felt himself slide all the way in and she jerked a little when he finally stopped, "We are now connected forever… you can never leave my side Alice. And I will never leave yours."

He pulled out slowly and then pushed back in, she gasped and he reveled in the sound. "My beautiful flower, my beautiful Alice." He said starting to move a little faster.

Her gasps of pain eventually turned into small moans of pleasure, which pushed the Knave faster and faster.

Alice had never felt anything like this before, she had always feared being intimate for she was worried of losing her innocents. But she felt ready to become what her mother had always wanted her to be. A women, a lover, a wife…

"Ilosovic…shall you marry me now?" she asked between gasps and moans.

He stopped his movements and stared into her eyes, "You wish to be my wife?" he asked.

"I beg you to take me as your wife." She said looking up into his dark gaze.

"I shall take you now as my lover, and if fate allows it, one day I shall take you as my wife." He started his movements again, this time harder and faster. She groaned as she felt something with in her starting to grow.

Ilosovic felt the pleasure flooding his body as he moved against her over and over, "Oh Alice." He said, he leaned down and bit her neck tasting the blood that trickled into his mouth.

Alice had let out a pained cry but only dug her nails into his back and thrust against him in her small protest. He sipped at her blood and never felt more powerful in his entire life. He had taken this virgin girl and claimed her for his own, she was his now. She belonged to him and he would have her now whenever he wanted.

He moved harder and harder until finally he felt her muscles contract and she screamed his name.

At that moment when she sounded like she was star struck between pain and pleasure and her whole body was tight with a twisted gratification did he feel his own body reach it's peak. He allowed himself to release and he felt his hot seed spill into her newly claimed body. His length pulsed with life as he moaned and gasped and continued to move.

He slowly calmed his movements and eventually pulled out all together. They lay next to each other, he held her and didn't allow her to move away. Their bodies hot and sticky only made him feel more gratified.

"My flower." He said softly as he held her tight, Alice went to get up and he pulled her back, "You will leave my side when I allow you to." He said kissing the back of her head.

Alice had never been one to take orders but for some reason she didn't mind.

"I was hoping we could go to the pond. I nice relaxing bath sounds good right about now." She said blushing.

"You will when I say you may. You must accept the fact that you are mine." He said pressing himself fully against her.

"I do… I know I am yours… just like you are mine."

"Then you won't leave my side until I say you may." He gently cupped her breast and her back arched against him.

"Sleep now." He said softly in her ear. She allowed her eyes to slowly shut in moments later she was asleep.

**A/N: So what do you think? I brought out the knave's possessive side in an attempt to show he hasn't totally become the good guy. I want him to be good but I don't want to lose the personality and character that he was in the movie. The reason I like his character is because he is dark and creepy. I wanted to show he has only changed in some aspects but not all. R&R **


	9. Return of the Champion

**A/N: Okay, things are going to start picking up, from here on out it will be pretty fast paced, there are only a few chapters left before the end? Hard to believe isn't it? Anyway here is the next chapter enjoy. **

**Chapter 9 **

**Return of the champion **

Iracebeth paced around the large fire pit, which was in the center of the big group of caves, which rose up and around in a large enclosed space. Long and immense tree branches hung over the top of the enclosed space and unless you were trying to find this place it would go unnoticed by the wary traveler.

"What did your Knave say?" the alpha wolf asked standing on his hind legs and glaring at the large headed woman.

"He is being led astray by Alice. His mind is being twisted to be loyal to my sister. She always gets what she wants, one way or another. The spoiled little brat."

"Perhaps we could remind him of the old ways." The wolf's deep voice said.

The ex-queen looked over at him out of the corner of her eye, "Possibly, he was loyal to me for over ten years, three years apart shouldn't cause to much disloyalty. He has been with out blood and any true form of power for to long, his mind is going soft. His madness is controlling him less and less. Something must be done."

"Allow me to fetch him my queen, we shall bring him here and bring madness back to his sane mind."

"He won't go down easy, you will need many to take him down."

"Our pack is strong, we've hunted and brought down far larger pray."

"Very well Bain. Bring me the Knave, alive, and in good condition and I shall reward you with more then just Marmoreal once I have control again."

The wolf bowed and then turned, he lifted his head and howled and suddenly hundreds of wolves appeared in the cave entrances that surrounded the clearing.

"My warriors, come, we hunt!" he said raising his sword in his paw.

The wolves that looked at him with their shinning eyes joined in the howl and about a dozen came forward with armor in their paws.

"What of the girl?" the wolf asked after a small group of wolves, which had slid into their armor, joined Bain in the center of the space.

The old monarch thought a moment and then smiled, "She is lame… she can barely walk. I don't care what the cause was, but I want her to know my pain. Take her out into the Outerlands, far away from anyone… leave her there… to die."

The wolf bowed for the last time and turned, "To the Knave!" he roared as he took off into the woods, and the others followed barking and howling and grinning their big toothy grins.

Iracebeth smiled and started to imagine life back in the castle with her Knave at her right hand side.

OOOOOOO

Alice was awakened by Ilosovic jumping from the bed, "Get up!" he ordered grabbing her and pulling her from the bed.

"What is it?" Alice asked shivering in the cool air. Ilosovic had managed to throw on some trousers just as Alice heard a wolf howl.

"You must hide. NOW!" Ilosovic said rummaging through a large box near the fireplace.

"What is happening?"

"Iracebeth has sent her new army out to get me, they will kill you if they find you! HIDE!" He yelled, Alice stumbled for the stairs, "No! If they burn this place down you will be trapped. Outside! Into the box!" he said opening the front door. He pulled her to the side of the house and she stumbled after her, her legs dragged behind her as he pulled her to the wooden box and lifted the lid open.

"What about you?" she asked.

"I will try to fend them off, no matter what happens do NOT come out of this box."

"Hide with me!"

"They want me, not you, once they leave make haste for Marmoreal, you shall be safe there."

Alice reached for him and he leaned down and kissed her on the lips, "If they find you Alice… run." He slammed the lid shut and locked it for good measure.

Ilosovic heard her pounding but ignored it, he entered the house and started to dig through his boxes, he knew he had a sword here somewhere. He had stolen it from a few travelers that had been foolish enough to come out this way.

He finally found it buried under his yet to be finished tools and extra daggers and pulled it out, the weight was foreign in his hands, but he never felt more powerful. He walked to the front door and kicked it open, there only a few feet from his door were a small pack of armor clad wolves.

"Ilosovic Stayne!" The lead wolf called, "We have been ordered by the Red Queen to bring you to her. We do not wish to harm you but will not hesitate to do what is necessary to bring you down."

"Well Bain, I haven't seen you since the raids back when I was a child. You've grown quite a bit. Nice to know I grew more."

The wolf growled at him and bared his teeth, "I won't hesitate to hurt you Vic. I am the leader of my pack now and I don't plan to lose my station."

"Does Iracebeth know of our old friendship? Is she aware that your mother took me in when my parents died? Surely she doesn't know that we shared a table… our history could cause some problems."

"Our friendship died when you betrayed me Vic. Come with me or I will be forced to take desperate measures." Bain said raising his sword.

"Silly puppy, I taught you how to use that weapon."

"I've learned a few new tricks."

"Show me." Ilosovic lunged from the door and swung his large sword out, Bain deflected it and growled as they clashed.

Alice heard the conversation but couldn't believe it, how much more did she not know about him? Raised by wolves? That would explain a lot.

Alice thrashed in the box trying to get her legs to work, to do what she wanted, she wanted them to kick at the lid so she could escape. Suddenly her leg graced something and she looked down. A bag?

She pulled it to her and opened it, the smell was horrid but she dug through it anyway.

The bag was filled with hooves, claws, teeth, and sharp bones, one of these had to be able to help her escape. She had to help the Knave.

She grabbed the sharpest bone and started cutting at the wooden boards, which trapped her in her small hiding place. To her surprise the wood started to carve away and she kept digging in an aggressive and quick pace.

She heard the swords clanging and heard the wolves growling and barking and howling as they all attacked him. Ilosovic sounded like he was holding his own very well until he let out a yell.

"No!" Alice said in fear.

"I've learned much since last we were together, now you shall learn from me. Take him to the queen! I will deal with the girl."

Alice heard the wolf walk into the house but soon returned and called to his pack, "Wait!"

She heard him walking and then his low voice came out as a growl, "Where. Is. The girl?"

"You won't find her. She is long gone; your howling tipped me off to your approach. She is on her way to Marmoreal and will return with in the hour with forces."

"You lie! The queen said she was lame! She can't have gone far, we will find her and she will die."

"You won't reach her Bain. I have helped her legs to remember, she has been getting stronger and stronger. She slayed the Jabberwocky… she won't ever fall to you or your pack."

There was silence a long moment and then Bain spoke, "Take him then to the queen, I will find Alice and take care of her myself."

"BAIN! IF YOU LAY A HAND ON HER I WILL KILL YOU!"

The alpha said nothing and Alice lay there silent as she heard him start to explore the grounds around the house. She could hear Ilosovic struggling and fighting but eventually his sounds died out and Alice was left in the silence and darkness of the morning. Occasionally the wolf would pass by the box, he sniffed it once or twice before he passed on.

He then seemed to enter the house and all was quiet for a long time. She very quietly started to work on the box. Any time she heard movement she stopped and waited. It was horrid work, she was sweating like a sinner in church and she couldn't seemed to work fast enough.

Finally Alice froze when she heard a noise right outside the box. She froze and waited, the seconds passed into minutes and the minutes grew longer and longer until she was sure her muscles would seize. She strained her ears but heard nothing else, she started to slowly carve at the wood again and that is when she heard the light chuckle.

Alice gasped and grabbed another sharp bone in her other hand as the lock was sliced into pieces by the wolf's sword, he threw the lid open and reached in for Alice. She shoved the bone into his large paw and he howled pulling back and falling down.

It was torture how slow she moved, she managed to raise herself out of the box and then fell over the edge. She looked to see the wolf still holding it's paw.

"You little whelp!" The wolf screamed, Alice pushed herself up and felt her knees buckle. She was down again but didn't give up, she pushed herself up and once her legs seemed to wake up she started to move. She hobbled like an old lady but she was on her legs and she was moving. She couldn't help but smile, this was the quickest she had moved in years.

Her excitement was destroyed when a sharp-clawed paw wrapped around her ankle, "Hello Alice." He said, the blood dripped from his paw and Alice swung one of the bones in her hand. The wolf released her and stepped back, but only smiled, "What big teeth you have." Alice said between large gasps for air.

"All the better to lacerate your skin with my dear." He advanced on her and Alice forced herself up once again. She started to hobble away and heard the wolf laughing, "I have to give you credit, you've got the warrior spirit, no wonder you slayed the Jabberwocky. Ilosovic was wise to try and nurse you back to health, you would be a strong ally." He said.

"Ilosovic is a good man. You were friends once… how dare you betray him to the bloody big head." Alice said keeping her distance. She looked before her and knew it was well over three miles to the pond, even further to Trotters Bottom. Passed that was Marmoreal, in her condition she wouldn't be able to out run the wolf. Her only option was to stand and face him.

_Six impossible things. _She thought to herself, something gleamed out of the corner of her eyes, less then ten feet away lay Ilosovic's sword. She changed her course and turned to face the wolf, she backed up feeling like her legs would give out any moment.

"What goes around comes around. When he took sides with the red queen himself he left our village to be attacked."

"But the Red Queen was the one who attacked your village."

"Wrong… it was the White Queen who sent the raids. She is the one who forced us out here, Iracebeth made it quite clear. Mirana was afraid of our power, we were growing as a pack, our numbers were devastating. Mirana feared we would rise against her and side with her sister. We had no intention of joining any war. We fought for no one but only for our own survival. She destroyed us!"

"The White Queen would never do that, she would never kill or hurt an innocent, it is against her code." Alice felt the sword press against her bare feet but she waited, she didn't dare go for it, not with the wolf so close.

"Her code is a front for her true nature, she is a witch, a cruel woman. She killed off my brothers and sisters, she destroyed everything. The Red Queen promises us safety and she promises the land of Marmoreal if we serve her. Mirana will pay for her cruelty, for her bloody sins against my people."

"Iracebeth is using you!" Alice screamed.

"Liar!" The wolf lunged and Alice fell back, he pinned her to the ground and raised his paw high above his head, his claws were exposed and his snarl was so aggressive Alice closed her eyes.

She waited for the blow but none came, she opened an eye and looked to see the wolf frozen, his once angry expression was now one of curiosity. He leaned in and smelled her up and down, "You have mated with Ilosovic?" he asked.

Alice took a large breath of air suddenly realizing she hadn't been breathing, "Yes… yes we are mated for life. I love him." Alice said looking into the wolf's eyes.

He pulled off of her and stood looking down at her, Alice sat up but didn't dare stand, her legs were like rubber.

"I never thought he would find someone he felt worthy. All the women that ever seemed interested in him he turned down." The wolf said.

Alice breathed easy and spoke in a calm and what she hoped was a well-collected voice, "Bain is it?" The wolf nodded and Alice continued, "Bain, please, I know Mirana, I know she would never hurt any living thing. She physically and mentally could never do it. Please, come with me to Marmoreal, allow me to speak to her on your behalf. We can figure this out."

"The White Queen would never see me." He huffed.

"She would if I was with you. She always has time to speak with the champion of Underland. I beg you… before you make a huge mistake… please… at least hear me out. If what you say it true then I will make sure you can leave Marmoreal… with me… to do what the Red Queen has ordered you to do and you can return to your pack unharmed."

Bain looked at her and sighed, he then looked back over his shoulder towards what Alice assumed was the direction of his pack.

"You have nothing to lose." Alice said.

The wolf nodded slowly and then got down on all fours, "Get on champion. We have far to go and not long to get there." Alice picked up the sword and walked crookedly over to the wolf.

"You won't need the sword… If I am nothing else I am good to my word. I shall not harm you until our business is complete."

"The sword is Ilosovic's… I wish to return it to him eventually."

"We shall see what you are allowed." The wolf took off at a run with Alice holding on for dear life. What would await her at Marmoreal and would she get there in time to save Ilosovic? Only time would tell.

OOOOOOO

Ilosovic's hair was dangling in his face as his head hung, he stared at a spot on the ground. He wore nothing but his trousers and felt his muscles ach; he was strung up and hung about three feet from the ground. He waited for something to happen but hours had passed and he had been left alone in the silence. The fire crackled and he glanced at it.

A lone howl rose into the air but Ilosovic didn't move, he just waited allowing his head to dangle.

He could feel the wolves appearing in the openings of the caves, he could hear them getting ready for the appearance of Iracebeth. Ilosovic was biding his time; he would rather die then serve her. Now that he had Alice, now that she loved him he felt like anything was possible.

He would not die at the Red Queens hands, but he would leave here bloody. He would not bend.

"Ilosovic Stayne… I hear you've been causing trouble. Helping the very girl who was responsible for our banishment." Ilosovic was cut free and he fell to the ground, his hands were bound before him and he sat there looking at the ground.

"Look at me Knave." Iracebeth spat.

He slowly lifted his head and felt the dried blood from a blow he had received during his previous fight. It tightened on his skin and he knew he looked a mess.

Iracebeth sat on an ornately crafted throne made from branches, leaves, flowers and other such things. Her dress was patched up using pieces of brown cloth. Her hair was styled up into a strange weave and twigs and leaves stuck out of it like a thorny crown.

Her eyes were not only aggressive but crazed, a fire burned in them and he feared she might be lost. He could have possibly charmed her into releasing him, and then he could have left in the night. But with a gaze like that he wasn't sure he could do much, she knew his ways, she knew his tricks.

"I was merely doing what I felt would benefit me." Ilosovic said.

"And what about what benefits me?" she asked.

"I told you before Irace… I don't care what happens to you." Ilosovic felt someone smash something hard into the back of his head. He fell forward, his face only inches from the fire. He was pulled back and set back up on his knees.

He looked to see a wolf holding a rock, "A rock? Really?" he asked.

The wolf growled at him and made the motion to hit him again, "Stay yourself wolf." Iracebeth ordered.

"Stayne… are you any good with a sword?" He looked at her with wide eyes; she remembered the first time they met? She remembered, if she wanted to play this game he would.

"Yes your majesty." He said.

"Then amuse me," she said softly, he looked at her and growled, "Don't you dare make me go through this again."

"Attack!" Iracebeth cried.

A wolf charged him and he realized he didn't have a sword; he would have to take someone else's. As the wolf came at him Ilosovic lowered his upper body and at the last second shot up, the wolf flew over him and Ilosovic kicked him in the face when the wolf landed on his back.

The wolf was out cold and Ilosovic grabbed the sword and picked it up with his bound hands, he dropped it seconds later when another wolf came at him swinging his sword, Ilosovic held out his hands and the sword sliced through the ropes. Ilosovic jumped back and picked up the sword that was discarded from the first wolf.

He lunged forward disarming the second wolf and then moving on to the third wolf whom seemed to be a little more graceful with the sword. They fought for about ten minutes before Ilosovic managed to get the wolf's footing to falter.

He let out a scream and stabbed the wolf in the breast just over his heart, he then turned to Iracebeth and as if fate was making him repeat his failures he approached her, the sword dragging behind him, the look on his face was that of intent.

He intended to kill her and nothing or no one would stop him this time.

OOOOOOO

Bain slowed when the top of Marmoreal appeared, "Fear not Bain, no harm shall come to you here." The wolf picked up pace again and soon they were at the gates crossing through the flower tree orchard.

"Alice?" came a call. The girl patted the wolf in an attempt to tell him to slow and come to a stop. The wolf complied and Alice slipped from Bain who stood and to Alice's surprised helped her walk towards the small mouse who was now on a bee line towards her.

"Alice! What are you doing here? Where is the Knave? Who is this?"

"Mally where is the queen?"

"She is in the throne room with the Hatter, fowl mood he is in for sure. You may want to keep that sword close."

"I don't fear the Hatter, and he shouldn't take things so personally." Alice said allowing Bain to lead her.

"What is going on?" Mally asked again.

"I must speak with Mirana, a life depends on it."

Mally looked to the wolf that eyed her and then grunted, the dormouse sighed and then turned, "Follow me."

**A/N: Okay so there is chapter nine, chapter ten is next after that one more chapter I think and then we will be done. **


	10. To Aid a Pirate

**A/n: I was so excited to write this chapter because it may possibly have my favorite scene in it… the explanatory scene. As in everything about Ilosovic gets explained in a full story not just in bits and pieces. Let's hope there is room in this chapter so I don't have to wait until next chapter. **

**Chapter 10 **

**To aid a Pirate **

Mirana watched as Alice was escorted into the throne room by a wolf and Mally. She heard the clang of the Hatter's sword as he rushed to her, "Alice! So nice to see you! Have you been making sure to take your tea supplements often?"

Alice couldn't help but smile despite the seriousness of the situation. She hugged him and took in his smell of fabric and tea leaves. "I've missed you Tarrant."

"And I you Alice." He kindly bowed to the wolf who nodded and handed Alice off to the Hatter.

"Mirana, my queen, I must speak with you, it is of urgent importance."

The White Queen stood with a smile and approached the girl, she glanced at the girls legs which looked thin and shaky. Her frown only falutered a second before she gently ran the back of her hand down the girl's face. Her eyes flickered to Bain, "And who is this handsome creature?"

"This is my… uh… friend… his name is Bain. He is the leader of the wolf pack in the Outerlands."

"A wolf pack in the Outerlands? I thought your people roamed the forests."

Bain's ears perked up and she glanced at Alice who made a speak-to-her motion with her head.

Bain came fourth and kneeled, "Majesty, I wish to speak with you about my pack."

"Yes dear Bain, I dare say we should. What has made you move them to the Outerlands? Only exiles live out there."

"Ten years ago… the day your sister ensnared the Knave… my village was attacked by guards wearing the white armor of your military. We were forced out of our home and chased into the Outlands and warned never to come back. Why did you do this? Why did you wish us gone from your lands?"

The White Queen looked shocked, she came and crouched in front of the wolf whose head was lowered, she raised it with her two small hands and looked into his eyes, "Bain my dear warrior, I did no such thing. Ten years ago… my sister confiscated over three hundred pounds of my white knight's armor. She used it in an attempt to turn the people of Underland against me. I am afraid she has mislead you in what really happened."

A single tear formed in the Wolf's eye, "So my brothers and sisters… they were killed by the army of the very woman that my pack is currently serving?"

The White Queen bit her lip and her eyes were filled with sadness, "I am afraid so my dear warrior."

The wolf started to breath heavy, suddenly his lifted his head and let out an eerie howl. No one said a word and when the echoes ended the wolf stood and turned to Alice.

"I am yours to command champion. I shall return with you to my pack and help you retrieve the Knave."

"What has become of the Knave?" The Queen asked standing and staring wide eyed at Alice.

"Iracebeth tricked the pack into serving her, they captured the Knave after he hid me. She plans to turn him back to her or kill him. Mirana, he swore allegiance to you, he openly spoke out against your sister. He has gained his senses… or what is left of them… he knows what he wants and he doesn't want her." Alice said.

"He wants you." Alice turned to see the Hatter pick up his sword that was resting on the throne steps.

Alice wasn't sure where the Hatter was going to go with this but she waited for him to speak again ready to defend her choices.

"You love him, I can smell him on you lass. But I also smell the winds of change; a man who was my enemy could be my brother. Once you smiled that way at the mention of my name, and now you smile for him. Your happiness is what I desire and nothing more. Let us go fetch ourselves a Knave." The Hatter placed the sword on his shoulder and started to walk towards the doors.

"We shall indeed reclaim our ally, but first Alice… this is for you." The White Queen handed Alice a small vile filled with green liquid. Alice gave her a strange look and then swallowed the entire contents. Alice suddenly felt her legs buckle and she went down. She lay there a second and then took the hand that was outstretched towards her. She stood and noticed how easy it was. She looked down to see her legs appeared to be healthy size and didn't shake in the slightest.

"You healed me?" Alice asked.

"You did most of the work yourself via the Knave's help, this elixir just sped up the growth of your muscles. You may occasionally stumble since your legs haven't fully awoken but in less then a week you will be your normal, active self."

Alice rushed fourth and hugged the queen who smiled and hugged her back, "You are the sister I wish I had." She said softly enough only Alice could hear. She smiled at the woman kindly and then turned to the small group.

"Bain… how easy will it be to sway your pack?"

Bain thought a moment and then gave a toothy smirk, "Not hard champion, they are less fond of Iracebeth now that she has started to demand more of them."

"She does that." The White Queen said with a small smile on her face, "Yes… quite often. However, I can't guarantee the Knave will be in good condition when we get there."

"We must go… all those coming should follow me." Alice headed towards the door stumbling once but catching herself, she looked back at the group who was trying hard not the chuckle.

"Where is the Bandersnatch?" She asked before she turned and left the throne room.

OOOOOOOO

Ilosovic spit out the blood that had weld up in his mouth, "Stop being difficult Stayne… just accept your statues."

"It's not statues, it's a station. It's a chore to protect you and a bore."

"You are evil! You were born to be a knave! You were put on this world to serve me and I was meant to rule with an iron fist. You will never be what she wants you to be. You don't have any light in your soul. You killed your father, you watched him drown your mother and you didn't lift a hand. You have betrayed all those who once cared about you including this pack who at the snap of my little dainty fingers will tear you apart. You have NOTHING worth fighting for. NOTHING worth protecting, and you are NOT worth saving."

"Kill me!" Stayne screamed at her yanking at his arms in an attempt to escape from the powerful grasp of the wolves.

"Did you ever tell the pack that you were the one to burn down their village?" Iracebeth's eyes grew wide and she nervously looked about, the wolves stared at her for a moment and then turned back to the Knave, "She stole armor from her sister's soldiers… dressed up her cards and sent them out to terrorize Underland in an attempt to push the people of Underland closer to herself."

"YOU LIER! THEY WON'Y BELIEVE YOU! YOU ALREADY DESERTED THEM ONCE!"

The wolves started to growl at the Knave who just laughed spitting out more blood, "No matter the circumstances, I will never serve you again bloody big head, I'd rather die."

"I have offered you everything Ilosovic… I have bared all my gifts that I have unto you but you still refuse me." She stood and stepped down from her makeshift throne. She approached him and gently took his bruised chin in her fingers, she moved the hair from his face with her other hand and she shied away.

"I want what is best for you Ilosovic… I love you." She said, he looked up at her with his one eye and glared, "You never wanted what was best for me. You wanted to use me to get what ever you felt was best for you."

The woman's face grew red and she smacked him hard across the face, "Beat him." She said turning to head back towards her throne. The wolves turned him around and lay his chest and belly against a rock. His hands were behind his back now. He would have been able to slice Iracebeth down if the pack wasn't so strong.

Alone he could take any of them, but together he couldn't win. If they hadn't jumped on him when he had tried to attack Iracebeth he would have killed her and he would have died a happy man.

He felt the rope encircle his neck and grunted as a wolf pulled it tight. The wolf then pulled it tight and tied it around a tree so he couldn't move, crude but capable. The Knave thought realizing he was studying every form of torture they used and in his mind he knew he was trying to improve upon their crude manors. He had to stop that way of thinking. He had to think of happy things, not death and destruction, that wasn't who he wanted to be.

He focused instead on Alice, how they had lain awake and talked and sang to each other, he softly tried to remember the words of her short little song. "_Cats and rabbits would reside in fancy little houses, and be dressed in shoes and hats and trousers. In a world of my own." _He sang in his head, he tried to imagine he could hear her voice and as the first stroke from the whip left a fresh bloody mark across his back he hoped one day he would be able to hear her sing the song herself.

OOOOOOOO

"We must hurry!" Alice cried over her shoulder.

The Hatter rode atop the Bandersnatch with Alice, Bain ran along side with Mally on top of his head. The White Queen rode with them too; she was atop her white steed. Alice had been surprised when she had chosen to come, she had never imagined Mirana's hair wiping behind her, her dress replaced with her royal riding outfit, a small bag of potions and elixirs attached to her hip. A tiara that seemed to stay more firmly on her head had replaced her crown, and she had a look of determination.

"Bain, lead the way we just passed the southern most boarder of the Outerlands." The wolf nodded and sped up, the Bandersnatch roared and pursued the wolf with much canter.

"Please let us get there in time." Alice whispered to herself glancing at Ilosovic's sword. They had to get there in time.

OOOOOOOOOOO

Ilosovic had refused to make a noise; he didn't want to give that wretched bigheaded witch the pleasure. But when the whip had not stopped after fifty Ilosovic had been unable to hold back a cry.

He screamed between clenched teeth and tried to keep singing her song, over and over, he must have sung it one hundred times by now. The tears that filled his eyes were more from annoyance and frustration, if she could see him now, she would wish him dead. He was so weak, so pitiful right now.

"Stop!" Iracebeth's voice rang out, "What say you Knave?"

Ilosovic's body shook as he looked up at her with his defiant eye, "Down with the Bloody Big head." He said.

"Off with his hand!" she yelled.

At first Ilosovic smiled thinking the pain was finally going to be over, but as the wolves cut him free he was surprised to realize what she had said.

_Off with his hand?_

A wolf released his hands from their ropes and another grabbed his right arm and wrapped a rope around it. He pulled it tight and stretched his arm out over the rock that had only moments ago held his chest. Another wolf pulled Stayne's free arm behind his back and held him there.

A large black wolf emerged from a cave holding a giant axe made of sharpened stone. That would take about four chops probably to get all the way through if Ilosovic didn't go into shock before the wolf finished he was going to scream louder then he ever had before.

The axe was raised and Ilosovic knew that this moment would mark who he was as a man, he stared at the black wolf that met his eye, "An axe made of stone? Crude if not totally barbaric." The wolf snarled at him and raised the axe higher, the harder he swung the quicker it would be.

"STOP!" A cry came from the woods, through the hidden entrance Bain emerged.

"Bain you stupid dog where have you been hiding? Is Alice dead? Did you kill her for me?" Iracebeth asked in a playful voice.

"Not hardly." Alice called as she burst through the hanging vines on top the Bandersnatch, "I came to visit and I brought friends." Bain moved the hanging vines aside so that Mirana could slowly ride through. Alice and the Hatter slid from the large beast that waited tensed and ready. Mally stood atop Bain's head swishing her sword and keeping a close eye on the White Queen.

"Sister, come to visit me in my loneliness?" Iracebeth asked standing.

"Brother Botch, please put down the axe." Bain said, the large black wolf set the axe down and all the wolves turned to look at their leader.

"My brothers and sisters! We have been led astray! Iracebeth has lied to us! She had brought dishonor to me and led us to believe that the White Queen is our enemy. In truth she tricked us, she stole armor from the White Queen, she used this to lead everyone in a fearful retreat and a hopeful attempt to turn us all against the White Queen. She is the cause of the fire and the battle that killed so many of us… we must not serve her anymore!" Bain called out, his deep voice echoed around the cave walls and the wolves listened intently.

"Brother… what if Ilosovic?" one wolf anxiously asked, "Even if the White Queen has done us no harm… he helped the Red Queen to destroy us, after all that time he spent with us."

Bain looked to Ilosovic, as if noticing him for the first time. He was covered in bloody welts from a whip, his jaw looked broken, his brow sliced from a hilt of a sword's handle. His arm was still stretched out over the rock and the man looked like he may soon pass out from his injuries.

Bain slowly walked over and kneeled before the man, he lifted the man's head, "Ilosovic Stayne… you have earned no kindness with us… except for the fact that you helped Alice, who in turned helped us to learn the truth. You have tried to start over and rectify your passed mistakes… perhaps we can do the same. My brother?" The wolf held out his paw and Ilosovic gave a very weak smirk, "I will spend the rest of my life doing what I can to earn back my right to run by you in the hunt." Ilosovic was released by the wolf holding his arm and he grasped Bain's paw and arm, they connected via hands at the elbow and as they separated a roar went into the air, "NO! THIS IS NOT WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE! HE IS MINE! HE IS MY KNAVE AND HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE WITH ME!"

Iracebeth pulled a dagger from her squirt and launched it across the space, it smacked into Ilosovic's chest and he fell back flat on the ground.

"No!" Alice cried rushing to the Knave and falling down next to him. Bain growled and let out a howl rushing towards the woman who had just killed his brother.

"Bain wait!" The wolf stopped only feet from the woman who had backed up, the wolf turned to look at Alice's tear stained face. "She is mine."

Alice stood and picked up her sword, "Iracebeth of Crims, you have been given more then your fair share of chances. You've been exiled instead of killed, you've been taken care of by this wonderful pack instead of starving to death in the wastes of the Outerlands, and you've killed the White Queen's Knave when you had no right to do so. For this… I take off your head. Let it be known, the White Queen does not order this action to take place, for she is good and kind and can not take a life. This is of my own volition and I will not allow her to be held responsible."

Iracebeth looked at her with a defiant eye, " You know Um, if you kill me that makes you no different from me or Ilosovic." Alice stared her down but said nothing.

"I've killed hundreds… Ilosovic has killed more. What makes you think you can change him? There is a reason he was called the Bloody Red Knave."

"I can change him because he wants to be changed. I will agree with you Iracebeth that you can't always help someone if they don't want to be helped but he has made the effort to make the change that he wants to see in himself. He can still be saved."

Alice heard a coughing sound and tuned her head; the White Queen kneeled next to Ilosovic and pulled from her leather pouch a vile with blue liquid. She poured it down his throat and then slowly removed the blade that was embedded in his flesh.

"Alice, he does not have much time. You must leave Iracebeth to me and take him to Marmoreal. He can't stay here if he is to survive this."

Alice looked at Iracebeth and then back at Ilosovic whose chest was heaving, as if air was barely making it's way into his lungs. Alice made a bitter face but nodded and pulled back her sword from Iracebeth's throat. She crossed to the Knave and spoke, "Tarrant, help me." The Hatter crossed to her and helped Alice to lift Ilosovic onto the back of the Bandersnatch.

"I can't carry him alone, will you help me?" The Hatter glanced at the man only inches from death and then at Alice whose eyes were filled with worry.

"Aye my champion, we will save this man." Alice got onto the beast and the Hatter lifted him so that Alice could pull him up the rest of the way. She held him in place while the Hatter moved to sit before her.

"Hold on Ilosovic." She whispered into his ear. "Bandersnatch you better run like your own life depended on it." The Hatter said to the beast, which turned and fled through the hanging vines.

Mirana stood finally and stared down her sister who dared to give her the death glare, "Bain, my brave warrior, tell me, in your pack what is the penalty for deceit and villainy?"

Bain stepped forward and spoke proudly, "Death by the hunt."

"Is Iracebeth a member of your pack? Did you initiate her?"

"Indeed we did, the second day she came to be with us." Bain said with a leer.

Iracebeth's eyes grew wide, "I can not sentence death to any living creature, and it goes against the vows I took as queen. I sent Iracebeth out into the Outterlands as punishment for her crimes against this world. She joined her pack of her own volition… that means she is under your jurisdiction as to what her punishment shall be for her crimes against you and your own." Mirana turned and mounted her horse, "Mally…come with me." Bain raised the dormouse and she jumped onto the queen's shoulder.

"We were sisters once Irace, I would have done anything to make you happy. But you had forsaken yourself when you started this campaign. I can no longer protect you… I pray that you find peace with mother and father, wherever they may be."

Mirana turned her horse and exited the caves leaving Iracebeth alone with the wolves.

She started to back away as the wolves bared their teeth and started to growl, "Sister, sister don't leave me." She whispered to herself as she started to shake.

"SISITER!" She screamed as the wolves slowly converged. Mirana didn't turn her head as she rode away from the caves. She kept her head high but was glad she was alone, for if anyone had seen the single tear drop that fell from her eye they would never have thought her a queen again.

**A/N: I decided to leave this chapter like this and tie up all the lose ends in the next chapter. Which means this story could end with 12 chapters. But we shall see. R&R**


	11. Inner Demons

**A/N: So this may be the last chapter, if it is thank-you everyone for reading and for the great advice giving. One of the reasons I started on this site was for the constructive criticism. It always makes me happy to know that my stories and writings can make people content. So if this is the last chapter know that I may post more stories under this category and with this pairing some other time. Yours always, Apprentice08.**

**Chapter 11**

Alice and the Hatter arrived at Marmoreal in good time, but Alice knew she wouldn't be able to move Ilosovic even with the help of the hatter. She had had a hard enough time getting him up in the Bandersnatch.

"You there! Knight! Come help us!" One of the queen's guards, which had been guarding the front door, came rushing down the steps and stopped a few feet away.

"Help the Hatter carry in this man. He must be taken to the Queen's hospital wing." Alice ordered, the knight looked down at the man in question but didn't move.

"GET YOUR ARSE OVER HERE!" The Hatter's thick accent yelled.

The Knight jumped and rushed forward, "Do not let his passed aggressions cloud your judgment knight, he has been reformed an vowed loyalty to your queen. She would be most upset of the kindness owed to him was not properly repaid." Alice said eyeing the knight who nodded then and spoke, "This man shall be in good care with me champion." The Hatter and the knight carried the large man inside and Alice turned to see if Mirana was approaching. She saw nothing on the long road so she turned and followed the others.

OOOOOOOO

Mally said nothing as she rested on the queen's shoulder. Did the woman forget she was here? The White Queen cried softly, was it for the loss of her sister? Mally didn't know but she kept quiet because she wanted to allow the woman time to mourn.

Good or bad the Red Queen had been the White Queen's sister after all. They were blood, which meant that the loss of the other would be painful no matter what, especially to a person as good as the White Queen.

The tears fell silently as the horse slowly trotted along; the White Queen said nothing and allowed the horse to find it's own way.

Perhaps Mally should say something? "Y-your majesty? Please, is there anything I can do?"

The White Queen didn't jump, she didn't squeak, she hadn't been surprised that Mally was there. If she had forgotten about the mouse's presence she played it off well.

"No my dear Mally, thank you, but at this point it is best that I deal with my feelings on my own."

"As you wish my queen. If you let me off here I can make my own way back to Marmoreal."

"Dear friend, it would take hours at your size… you may stay with me but let us not talk."

"As you wish your majesty." Mally said sitting back down on the Queen's shoulder.

OOOOOOOOOO

Ilosovic felt the pain in his body, it hurt all over, he felt a gentle hand on his forehead and slowly opened his eyes. The bright light flooded his senses and he tried to look away from the light.

"Ilosovic?" a soft voice called to him. He turned his head in the direction of the voice and cracked his eyes open weekly.

"A-Alice?"

"Yes! Oh yes it's me! Can you open your eyes Ilosovic?"

The man tried to raise his hand to rub his eyes but found his arms were like led.

"Please don't try to move, just open your eyes." Ilosovic managed to comply.

The room he lay in was so bright because everything was white, "Am… am I in Marmoreal?" he asked in a weak voice.

"Yes, I dare say if you weren't in Marmoreal you wouldn't be alive." Alice said.

"What happened to Iracebeth?"

"I don't know… you will have to as Mirana that." Alice said gently pulling the hair out of his face.

"Did she stab me?" Ilosovic asked.

"Sort of… she threw a dagger, it hit you above your heart."

"Always was a bad aim, bloody big head." He said with a weak smirk.

"Rest, you have a lot of recovering to do before you can be cleansed."

"Cleansed?" Ilosovic asked.

"Another thing you will have to ask the White Queen about. Now rest."

OOOOOOOO

Alice had left the Knave's side once he had passed back into sleep and went to find the White Queen. It had been long after dark when the White Queen had finally shown up on her horse with Mally in tow.

She had quietly stepped from her stead and walked inside, she took her time in changing her clothes, fixing her makeup and then stepping into her hospital wing. She looked the Knave over with a caring eye and then looked to Alice.

"Do not fear child, he will live." She disappeared for a long while but eventually returned with a vile full of black liquid.

"What is that?" Alice asked.

"Nitchurkan." The White Queen said.

"What does it do?" Alice asked.

"It shall help him, and that is all you need know. Once he comes around and is strong enough to walk bring him to me for the cleansing."

"The what?"

The White Queen said nothing and headed out the door, Alice had watched her go and then turned to Ilosovic.

Now, however, that Ilosovic was coming through she needed to inform the White Queen.

Alice turned down corridor after corridor and then finally made it to the throne room.

"Alice, my dear. Has the Knave finally awoken from his sleep?" The White Queen asked, she seemed to be in much better spirits then last they talked.

"He was awake for a few moments before he fell back into sleep. But by tomorrow he should be alright to come see you." Alice said.

She noticed the large table that was before the queen, filled with all sorts of cups of tea and cakes and such things.

"Tea time?" Alice asked.

"Indeed… please sit and have some!" The Mad March Hare screamed throwing a teacup at Alice who instinctively ducked and smiled. The teacup sailed by her head and she stood walking to the table, "I should get back to him."

"He is sleeping, let him rest." Mally said appearing from inside a teapot.

"Aye let the man alone." The Hatter's dark voice came, Alice turned to see the Hatter in the high back armchair. Alice smiled kindly at him and he smiled back.

"You should rest yourself dear. Now… sit and drink." Mirana said.

Alice took a place next to the queen who cleared her throat, "My dear champion, would you mind taking this time to recant to us the tail of how you lost your legs?"

Mally, the Hare and the Hatter looked over at her with curious eyes and then Alice noticed a familiar smell.

"Chessire…. I know you're here." Alice said.

"I just came to see you love, and of course enjoy some of the Hatters fine tea." The large cat said with a smile.

"Alright then, the story is rather boring but if you all want to know I shan't keep it from you."

Alice began to spin her story; she was rather amazed they all managed to listen to all of it, especially the Mad March Hare who was twitching rather madly by the end of it all.

"My word, that is horrible." The White Queen said.

"Not as bad as that William fellow. What ever happened to him?" Mally asked.

"Last I heard he was running my father's company with Lord Ascot, quite successfully too."

"The nerve of that man." Mally said swinging her small sword, "He abandoned you in your time of need! If I were you I'd have let him have it."

"I couldn't do much with my legs as they were. It took close to a year for them to heal and by then my legs had forgotten how to walk."

Mally's ears dropped, "I just wish he could see what he walked away from."

Alice smiled and put her hand on the table, Mally scurried over and climbed on, Alice lifted the mouse up and placed a light kiss on her head, "As much as I appreciate the thought, I am glad he walked away. Other wise I am not sure I would have come back here when I did."

"Alice?" the girl looked down the table and saw the Hatter smiling at her weakly, "Yes Hatter?" she asked.

"When would you have come back had your boo not decided to run away with his tail between his legs?"

Alice smirked and then sighed, "I am not sure, I seem to only be able to come to Underland when the White Queen is in need of me."

"Dear Alice, that is halfway incorrect." Mirana said.

"How so?"

"We had no need for you to return, though we all hoped you would return soon. You came to us because you wanted help."

"I thought I might have been brought here to help with the Red Queen."

"Not at all, we had no problems with her, and the entire situation may not have occurred had you not shown and drawn the Knave out."

"So… everything that has happened is my fault?"

"Not entirely champion, you did put the ball in to motion so to speak but once it was moving the path it traveled was not one you helped to choose." Mirana said with a warm smile.

"I don't understand." Alice said.

"You are welcome!" The Hare shrieked throwing another teacup.

The Hatter, Mally and the Hare laughed, the Queen smiled and Alice suddenly seemed to remember she was indeed around mad people.

"Alice?" a soft call came from the door and everyone turned to see the Knave leaning against the doorframe, half standing half slumping looking dazed and confused. Alice quickly stood and rushed to his side, "Ilosovic, what are you doing out of bed?"

"I need to speak to the White Queen." He said weakly.

Alice looked to Mirana who stood and slowly crossed; the Knave fell to his knees and took her hands in his shaking one, "My queen… I know what you plan to do to me once I am better… but I beg you to do it now. If not, I shall lose what little sanity I have left."

"What is he talking about?" Alice asked looking at the queen who stared at the man in surprise.

"Knave, you are far to weak for the cleansing at this moment. You could not only lose your whole mind but you may die."

"Please my queen, I know you owe me no kindness but all I see is Iracebeth, she is screaming, she is ruling my world still even if it is only in my dreams. I beg you to take the pain away, take away all of the things that haunt me. Please… please your grace."

The White Queen's eyes were sad as she stared at the man who whose mind had betrayed him.

"I will do what you wish Ilosovic, for you saved our champion and helped her to regain her pride and dignity and muchness. But you must be aware that if anything goes wrong during the cleansing you may not even resemble who you once were. Alice may not want anything to do with you." The White Queen's eyes shifted to Alice who shook her head no, it wouldn't be true.

The Knave's head slowly shifted to look down at Alice, "I need you to understand Alice. Once I became here Knave I was bound to her, now that she is dead, I am free but she is still in my mind. She has always been in my mind, even when you and I… when we…"

He stopped a moment hoping Alice would understand, she did and she nodded. The Knave sighed in relief and started to speak again, "If you truly want to be with me I must remove her from my mind… I must clean her evil from me. But in doing so I may not be who I am now… so the question is could you still love me if I was someone else?"

Alice didn't hesitate, she nodded quickly, she wasn't sure it was a truthful answer but at this point she didn't care.

"Very well, come with me Ilosovic." The White Queen gracefully moved through the doors of the throne room and into the hall. Alice went to help him but Ilosovic gave her a kind smile and followed her as quickly as he could on his own.

Alice made to follow but she felt a hand on her shoulder, she turned to see the Hatter's sad face staring back at her, "He must go alone." Alice felt tears in her eyes; her uncertainty of what was to come scared her. She fell into the Tarrant's arms and hugged him fiercely, she hugged her back and then said, "Come, we must have some tea."

OOOOOOOO

"You know, you don't have to do this. You can go back into exile, that would surely be less painful." Mirana said to the Knave who now walked beside her.

"I would rather face this and possible death then deal with Iracebeth anymore. She caused my madness, all I want is peace."

"You have earned peace Ilosovic, but at what price. Alice loves you, you have joined with her." He looked down at her, surprised in her knowledge.

"I can tell long before anyone else, just by the way she worries and looks at you. You have won the heart of our champion. Funny enough I thought it would be Tarrant who received that honor."

The Knave said nothing so Mirana continued, "I cannot foresee everything but I will give you this piece of assurance: once you begin this journey you must finish. If you survive I know Alice will be with you till the end of Underland."

Ilosovic thought of this with satisfaction though none showed on his face, his Alice would never turn from him. A thought occurred to him and he look at Mirana and softly asked, "She shall be with me you say, but will she be happy?"

Mirana did not look at him as they entered her potion room, but she spoke with a heavy heart, "I cannot foresee that, because that is for you to decide. You can either make her life wonderful, or, you will slowly kill her. You are one extreme or the other… there is no in between. I hope for your sake you make her happy because if she becomes anything other then that Tarrant will come after you."

The Knave slowly nodded and closed the doors behind the queen.

"This potion will spread quickly, in this time you must come clean with all that you have done in your life. All evils must be spoken, no matter what they are. Once you have let the evils you have committed be know the potion will take control and you will be brought before your inner soul. If you are deemed worthy you shall live."

Ilosovic nodded and watched as Mirana prepared the potion. If he failed he would never see his Alice again. But if he was deemed worthy, a whole new life out open up for him. He had to try anything he could to keep Alice at his side.

OOOOOOOOOO

Alice was giggling at the march hare's antics when a scream erupted through out the castle; Alice knew in an instant that it was Ilosovic. But as she ran for the two she felt to powerful arms wrap around her, "No! Let me go!"

"My dear friend please… you must let him make this journey alone!" The hatter said into her ear.

Alice struggled for a good few minutes before she finally grew tired and allowed Tarrant to drag her back to the table where he set her down and made her wait.

Tarrent gave her a nervous smile, she might hate him now, but later she would thank him. Later she would understand that this was something Ilosovic had to do on his own, even if he wanted her help he had to face his inner demons in isolation.

**A/n: Sorry this took so long to post, school, work, finals, etc enjoy! R&R **


	12. contrition

**A/n: Okay, so now that finals are over I can work on my stories. I've reached an impasse in a few of my other works but I am hoping finishing this story will help me to remove my writers block. Enjoy! **

**Chapter 12**

**Contrition**

Ilosovic felt like there was a fire in his soul, he felt like his skin was being pulled apart.

"Ilosovic Stayne." A commanding voice called out to him.

A blinding light was shining into his eyes and he couldn't pin point the location of the voice, "Name your crimes against Underland." The voice said.

"I willingly served the Red Queen, I willingly helped to kill hundreds of people… I betrayed my inner morals to feed my selfish desire of power."

"State the crimes you have committed against family and friends."

"I killed my father, I betrayed Bain and helped to destroy his village, I have betrayed and murdered many who helped to raise me."

There was silence a moment as the pain continued to rip him apart, it converged towards his heart and up his spine towards his brain.

"Name the crimes you have committed against yourself."

Ilosovic hesitated, what crimes had he committed against himself?

"I know of none!" Ilosovic screamed in agony as the heat increased.

"There was one." The voice said.

Ilosovic had a flash back to when he was a child, he stared out the window and watched as his father beat and drowned his mother.

"I don't understand!" Ilosovic called to the voice, the light intensified as well as the heat and Ilosovic wasn't sure he could handle it much longer.

"You let fear and powerlessness rule your world and instead of trying to learn from your mistakes… you allowed yourself to become the victim and so to kill and take revenge on anyone who tried to make you powerless. You failed to see that in serving the Red Queen you were at your weakest, you allowed yourself to believe that there was power in cruelty."

"I disregarded my own beliefs in the pursuit of something I always had to begin with." Ilosovic said finally understanding.

"With your new life… what do you plan to do?" the voice asked.

Ilosovic didn't have to think this time, he looked directly into the light and spoke clearly, "I will spend the rest of my days in contrition, and I will serve the White Queen and her court and I will do what I can to uphold the laws and rules of Underland so set fourth by the White Queen and the rulers before her."

"And of the girl Alice?"

Ilosovic felt his chest grow heavy, Alice, how he hoped to live through this to see her.

"I will do everything in my own power to make her happy and to protect her."

"Marry her?" the voice asked.

"I… yes… I will if she will have me."

"Reflect upon this moment Ilosovic… you have all of eternity to serve the White Queen and her people."

Suddenly the bright white light disappeared and Ilosovic fell over onto the floor holding his sides in an attempt to keep the bile down.

He managed to glance between strands of his tangled locks to se the White Queen and suddenly realized it had been her talking the whole time.

"Congratulations Ilosovic…" she said with a small smile, "You have survived."

OOOOOOOOOO

It was a sunny day in London, which was odd in itself since most days it was cool and rainy. But for some reason today the sun shined brighter and warmer then usual.

Helga, the current house keeper kept herself busy with the house work while she waited for the lady of the house to return. The poor woman had been in a state of depression for weeks now, ever since Alice had disappeared.

The maid had no clue how the girl could have ran away but that was the current guess as to where she went. For all they knew she was lying dead in a gutter somewhere.

Helga tried to look on the bright side but it was hard, Helen's eldest daughter Margaret had moved back in so as to comfort her broken hearted mother, the handsome devil Lowell had come with her and Helga was not much fond of him. He was a cad, a trickster, sadly it was not her place to voice such opinions.

It was on this day when everything seemed brighter then normal that the doorbell was rang, Helga hustled from the kitchen to make sure that the person on the doorstep didn't have to wait long.

However the maid had a disturbing surprise not only to find it was of course Alice on the stoop, but she was standing on her own with out the wheel chair, and a disturbingly tall man stood next to her. Helga had to look up and up to see his face which she decided was handsome and honest if not slightly scary.

Alice moved across the threshold and took Helga in her arms, "Oh it's good to see you Helga!" Alice said in a joyful tone. "Is mum home?" she asked motioning for the tall man to follow her in, he had to duck just slightly to make it through the door but Helga was still to shock at Alice's mobile return to really notice to much.

"Y-your mother?" Helga asked in confusion.

"Yes, my mother. I will only be in town a few short days and there is a lot of planning to do. I am to be married." Alice said smiling up at the large man who smirked down at her.

Helga glanced at the man whose dangerous eyes flickered to her and he nodded, the maid took a deep breath and then fainted.

OOOOOOOOOOO

Alice watched as Helga passed out, "Well I suppose it could have been worse." Alice said examining the unconscious maid on the floor.

Suddenly a noise came from the kitchen and Alice looked up to see Lowell entering, he came down the entrance way and stopped dead in his tracks.

"Alice?" he asked in shock. His eyes didn't even shift to the large man next to her; they locked onto her and stayed there.

"Hello Lowell." She said in a slightly lower tone.

"What are you doing here? You're supposed to be dea- I mean… you're missing." Lowell said just barely saving himself from a huge mistake.

"I am not dead Lowell, and I was not missing. I was away with my fiancé, Ilosovic. Where is my mother?" Alice asked.

Lowell suddenly noticed the towering figure next to her and gave a nervous smirked, "My my big boy I see." He said.

"Lowell, my mother?" Alice asked again.

Lowell seemed to shake out of his stupor long enough to stay, "Yes, she has gone to town with Margaret to find some sort of fabric or something."

Alice sighed and then turned to the man next to her, "Would you like to wait?"

Ilosovic nodded and then said, "Best to meet them now then never… but this is your sister's husband?"

Alice nodded, "Then allow me a word with you sir on the proper way to treat your wife." Ilosovic moved forward and spun Lowell around, the two moved down the hall and Alice smirked.

Yes, she had told Ilosovic all about Lowell.

A gasp was heard behind her at that moment and Alice turned to see her mother standing in the doorway, bags of strange colored fabrics dropped and before Alice could speak she was enveloped in a bone crushing huge. Tears soaked her neck as her mother sobbed into her.

"Oh Alice! Where have you been! A fright you've given me, oh an absolute fright!"

Alice felt a second pair of arms and could smell the perfume of Margaret joining with that of her mother's.

"Mother, you must come with me, I have so much to tell you!" Alice said as she managed to pull away and take her mother's hand.

"You just got home darling… please come and sit in the parlor… you must tell me everything!"

"Alice… why is Helga on the floor?" Margaret asked eyeing the still unconscious maid.

"Shock I suppose."

"Shock of what? You?" Her mother asked.

Alice held up her hand and showed her mother, "I am to be married!"

OOOOOOOOOO

Margaret sat next to Lowell who had suddenly become very shifty and nervous, Alice's mother was on Margaret's free arm and Ilosovic stood behind Alice as she sat across from her family and shared the fabricated, but still very happy, story of how her and Ilosovic met.

"As you know I went over seas. I met many people and Ilosovic was one of them. He was working as a guard for a king I met. When Lord Ascot's ship the Wonder stopped at a port to resupply he saved me from falling into the water. Lot's of shark around that area of the sea you know. We spent much time together talking and becoming acquainted but then my ship had to depart. I promised to write to him about my trip and to let him know when I returned to London so he could visit."

Alice waited to see if there were any questions, when none came she continued, "You see don't you? When my letters to him stopped he thought I was in trouble. Ilosovic managed to get a hold of William and William informed him of my little accident. He came as soon as he could, that is as soon as the king would let him. He paid a street boy to deliver me a letter the night I disappeared saying that he knew someone who might be able to help with my legs and feet. I left and Ilosovic took me to his friend who managed to heal me." Alice concluded.

"But why didn't you tell us all of this? Surely you knew we would be more then willing to help… we would have paid!" Alice's mother said sounding more like she had caused an injustice to Ilosovic then anything else.

"I was afraid you wouldn't allow it. I was afraid you wouldn't believe his friend could help." Alice replied looking down with grief.

Alice's mother gazed upon her daughter and then turned to Ilosovic, "So you now wish to marry Alice?"

Ilosovic nodded and took a sip of the tea that had been handed to him earlier, "I am sure you hoped Alice would marry a Lord or Duke of some kind but I assure you the title that I hold in my Queen's court is much more important then either of the aforementioned statuses."

"And what are you exactly?" Alice's mother asked trying to be respectful.

"I am a Knave of course."

"Knave?" Both Helen and Margaret asked at the same time.

"Indeed, you don't have the title in England I presume? I am the guard and advisor to my king. He makes no decisions with out consulting me first; I guard his life, his family and his land. I am also his chief military instructor and his fencing tutor."

"Very impressive I am sure we all agree, but in that position surely there is a chance of causality… what should happen to Alice if you were to be killed?" Lowell asked seemingly having found his backbone.

Ilosovic had seemed to be prepared for this question, "Alice has freedom to choose what she wants to do, be it to come home or stay at the palace. Since I am the king's advisor my family and I have special privileges in his court. Should something happen to me, Alice will be allowed to live in the castle and stay on the court as long as she wishes. The king made it clear when I started to work for him that my family is his and his is mine."

Alice's mother looked shocked, "So, she shall be living in the palace with you? A castle you said?"

"Indeed lady Helen." Ilosovic said with a smooth node of his head, "But I can not and will not marry her with our your consent."

Alice took her mothers hand, "Please, I have never wanted anything more in my entire life. He is who I love mother."

Helen seemed to debate a moment but then smiled at her daughter as a tear came to her eye, "Alright Alice, I give my consent."

Alice smiled and hugged the woman fiercely, "I love you mum." The girl whispered to her.

"I love you too."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Ilosovic… please bring me a glass of water will you?"

"No tea tonight dearest?"

"No… I am not sure he likes tea." Alice called.

The large man entered the room holding a teapot and two small teacups; the image was enough to make Alice giggle.

"Doesn't like tea… who does he think he is? If he is going to live with us he must learn to like tea." Ilosovic said

"You are starting to sound like the hatter." Alice said.

"Don't compare me to that mad man, he is such a pain."

"Are you still sore over the fact his long sword beat your precious short sword?"

"Don't tease me you shall hurt my feelings." Ilosovic faked a sad face and Alice swatted his shoulder.

"Honestly though, do you still hate the hatter?"

"No… I don't hate the hatter, I'm incapable of hating anyone ever since that damn potion of the queen."

"She saved your soul." Alice said.

"By turning me into a pussy cat?"

"She didn't turn you into a pussy cat, look what you did to Lowell, he can't even walk down the street with out looking behind him."

Ilosovic smiled a little and then handed Alice the tea, he placed his hand on her belly and said, "Doesn't like tea… preposterous."

Alice smiled back and then took a sip of her tea right at the baby kicked. Ilosovic felt it and his smile grew, "I hope he is big and strong like you." Alice said.

"I hope he is as brave and beautiful as you." Ilosovic said as he leaned back stared at his wife.

For the first time in his life everything was okay, and for the second time in his life he knew he loved someone more then himself. The first person he had loved was Alice; the second was his unborn son.

_How things have changed,_ he thought with content, _and for once it was for the better. _

**The End **

**A/N: So I know it's the generic ending where she gets knocked up and they have a baby but the ending I wanted I couldn't quite make end. I wanted Ilosovic to be teaching her how to ride a horse and use a sword but I couldn't get it to flow so I did the very basic/a lot of writers do it ending where she has a kid. I personally don't like peggo but I suppose since there isn't a sequal I won't have to worry about it. **

**Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. I plan to make other AIW stories when I have more time and story ideas but for now I need to finish my other two stories I am currently working on. Thank you for all the helpful critics and such and I hope you liked reading it as much as I liked writing it. **


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